University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


A 

*  JOURNAL, 

OF 

A  YOUNG  MAN  OF  MASSACHUSETTS, 

LATE 
A  SURGEON  ON  BOARD  AN  AMERICAN  PRIVATEER, 

WHO  WAS  CAPTURED  AT  SEA  BY  THE  BRITISH,  IN  MAT,  EIGHTEEN  HUNDRED 
AND  THIRTEEN,  AND  WAS  CONFINED  FIRST, 

AT  MELVILLE  ISLAND,  HALIFAX,  THEN  AT  CHATHAM, 
IN  ENGLAND..MMAND  LAST, 

AT  DARTMOOR  PRISON. 

INTERSPERSED   WITH 

OBSERVATIONS,  ANECDOTES  AND  REMARKS, 

TENDING  TO  ILLUSTRATE  THE  MORAL  AND  POLITICAL  CHARACTERS 
vXJ1    i'HREE    NATIONS. 

TO    WHICH   IS   ADDED, 

A  CORRECT  ENGRAVING  OF  DARTMOOR  PRISON, 

REPRESENTING  THE  MASSACRE  OF  AMERICAN  PRISONERS, 

WRITTEN  BY  HIMSELF. 

*'  Nothing  extenuate,  or  set  down  aught  in  malice.".,.SHAKESP£AiiJ^ 

THE  SECOND  EDITION, 
With  considerable  Additions  and  Improvements. 

BOSTON : 
PRINTED  BY  ROWE  &  HOOPER....78  STATE-STREET, 

1816,' 


!Hf 

> 


District  of  Massachusetts,  to  wit  : 

District  Clerk's  Office. 

BE  it  remembered,  that  on  the  sixth  day  of  March,  A.  D, 
(I..  S.)    1816,  and  in  the  fortieth  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  of  America,  ROWE  &c  HOOPER,  of  the  said   District 
hav<-  deposited  in  this  Office,  the  title  of  a  book,  the  right  whereof  they 
cl.ii.n  as  Proprietors,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit  : 

"  A  Journal  of  a  Young  Man  of  Massachusetts,  late  a  Surgeon  on  board 
an  American  privateer,  who  was  captured  at  sea  by  the  British,  in  May, 
eighteen  hundred  and  thirteen,  and  was  confined  first,  at  Melville  Island, 
Halifax,  then  at  Chatham,  in  England,  and  last  at  Dartmoor  Prison.  In- 
tersperssd  with  Observations,  Anecdotes  and  Remarks,  tending  to  illus- 
trate the  moral  and  political  characters  of  three  nations.  To  which  is 
added,  a  correct  Engraving  of  Dartmoor  Prison,  representing  the  Massa- 
cre of  American  prisoners.  Written  by  himself.  ««  Nothing  extenuate, 

or  set  dawn  aught  in  malice Shakespeare. 

In  conformity  to  the  Act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  entitled 
•"  An  Act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  0$ 
Maps,  Charts  and  Books,  to  the  Authors  and  Proprietors  of  such  Copies, 
during  the  times  therein  mentioned  ;"  and  also  to  an  Act  entitled,  "  An 
Act  supplementary  to  an  Act,  entitled  an  Act  for  the  encouragement  of 
learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts  and  Books,  to  the  authors 
and  proprietors  of  such  copies  during  the  times  therein  mentioned  \  and 
extending  the  benefits  thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving  and 
etching,  historical,  and  ether  prints." 

WM.  S.  SHAW, 
Clerk  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts 


m 

TO 


THE  COMMON  SENSE, 

AND 

HUMANE  FEELINGS 

OF  THE  PEOPLE  OF  AMERICA, 

THIS  JOURNAL  IS  INSCRIBED^ 

BT   A   LATF, 

PRISONER  OF  WAR 

WITH  THE  BRITISH, 

f 

Massacnufttti,  County  of  > 
Hampshire^  1815.  ) 


13  JOURNAL. 

it  not  so  easy  to  impose  on  a  public  ship  as  on  a  private 
one,  with  our  English  colours  and  uniform.  In  beating  up 
to  Pernambuco,  we  spoke  with  vessels  every  clay,  but  they 
were  all  Portuguese.  When  near  to  St.  Salvadore,  we  were 
in  great  danger  of  being  captured  by  a  British  frigate,  which 
we  mistook  for  a  large  merchantman,  until  she  came  within 
half  musket  shot  of  us;  but,  luckily  for  us,  it  died  away 
calm,  when  we  out  with  our  oars,  which  seamen  call  sweeps, 
and  in  spite  of  their  round  and  grape  shot,  we  got  clear  of 
her  without  any  serious  injury. 

We  would  remark  here,  that  sailors  have  a  dialect  of 
their  own,  and  a  phraseology  t>y  themselves.  Instead  of 
right  side,  and  left  side,  they  say  starboard  and  larboard. 
To  tie  a  rope  fast,  is  to  belay  it.  To  lower  down  a  sail,  or 
to  pull  down  a  colour,  is  to  dowse  it ;  and  so  of  many  other 
things.  These  peculiar  phrases  have  been  adopted  from 
the  Dutch,  and  from  the  Danes :  nations  from  whom  the 
English  learnt  navigation.  We  may  occasionally  use  some 
of  these  terms,  when  it  cannot  well  be  avoided. 

Our  captain  was  not  an  American,  neither  was  he  an  Eng- 
lishman. He  was  a  little  bit  of  a  man,  of  a  swarthy  com- 
plexion, and  did  not  weigh  perhaps  more  than  an  hundred 
pounds  by  the  scale.  During  the  firing,  our  little  man  stood 
upon  the  taffrail,  swung  his  sword,  d — d  the  English,  and 
praised  his  own  men.  He  had  been  long  enough  in  the 
United  States  to  acquire  property  and  information,  and 
credit  enough  to  command  a  schooner  of  four  guns  arid  ninety 
men.  The  crew  considered  him  a  brave  man,  and  a  good 
sailor,  but  not  over  generous  in  his  disposition.  Whether 
the  following  is  a  proof  of  it,  I  cannot  determine. 

He  allowed  the  crew  but  one  gill  of  New  England  rum 
per  day,  which  they  thought  an  under  dose  for  a  Yankee. 
They  contended  for  more,  but  he  refused  it.  They  expos- 
tulated, and  he  remained  obstinate ;  when  at  length  they 
one  and  all  declared  that  they  would  not  touch  a  rope  unless 
he  agreed  to  double  the  allowance  to  half  a  pint.  The  cap- 
tain was  a  very  abstemious  man  himself,  and  being  very 
small  in  person,  he  did  not  consider  that  a  man  four  times 
as  big  required  twice  as  much  rum  to  keep  his  sluggish 
frame  in  the  same  degree  of  good  spirits.  He  held  out 
against  his  crew  for  two  days,  during  which  time  they  never 
one  of  them  so  much  as  lifted  a  spun-yarn.  The  weather 
was,  be  sure,  very  mild  and  pleasant.  I  confess,  how- 


JOURNAL. 

ever,  that  I  was  very  uneasy,  under  the  idea  that  we  might 
all  perish,  from  the  obstinacy  of  the  crew,  on  one  side,  and 
the  firmness  of  the  little  man  on  the  other.  Our  captain 
found  that  his  government  was  democratical;  and  perceiv- 
ing that  the  weather  was  about  to  change,  he  conceded  to 
the  large  and  fearful  majority;  and  New  England  spirit 
carried  the  day  against  a  temperate  European  commander. 

This  habit  of  rum  drinking  makes  a  striking  difference 
between  the  military  of  ancient  and  modern  days.  If  a  Ro- 
man soldier,  or  a  Carthagenian  sailor,  had  his  cloathing,  his 
meat,  and  his  bread,  and  his  vinegar,  he  was  contented,  and 
rarely  was  guilty  of  mutiny.  But  the  modern  soldier  and 
sailor  must,  in  addition  to  these,  have  his  rum,  or  brandy, 
and  his  tobacco;  deprive  him  of  these  two  articles,  which 
are  neither  food  nor  clothing,  and  he  infallibly  mutinies : 
that  is,  he  runs  the  risk  of  the  severest  punishment,  even 
that  of  death,  rather  than  renounce  these  modern  luxuries. 
I  have  observed  among  sailors,  that  they  bear  the  depriva- 
tion of  rum  with  more  patience  than  the  deprivation  of  tobac- 
co. On  granting  the  crew  half  a  pint  of  rum  a  day,  they 
gave  three  cheers,  and  went  to  work  with  the  greatest 
cheerfulness  and  alacrity. 

The  Americans,  I  believe,  drink  more  spirits  than  the 
same  class  of  people  in  England.  The  labouring  people,  and 
sailors,  connot  get  it  in  Britain.  A  soldier  whose  regiment 
was  quartered  in  Boston,  just  before  the  revolution,  held  up 
his  bottle  to  one  of  the  new  comers,  and  exclaimed,  "  Here 
is  a  country  for  you,  by  J — s;  I  have  been  drunk  once  to- 
day, and  have  got  enough  left  to  be  drunk  again :  and  all 
for  six  coppers !"  What  they  then  called  coppers,  we  now 
call  cents,  and  the  Londoners  hap-pemrics. 

The  next  day  we  descried  three  sail  steering  for  St.  Sal- 
vadore.  We  gave  chase  to  them ;  but  when  we  came  within 
gun  shot  of  the  stern  most,  she  fired  her  stern  chasers  at  us. 
We  brought  our  four  guns  on  one  side,  to  attack,  or  to  de- 
fend, as  we  should  find  ourselves  circumstanced ;  but  night 
coming  on,  we  saw  no  more  of  them. 

Our  water  becoming  short,  we  determined  to  gain  our 
former  watering  place;  but  not  being  able  to  reach  it  easily, 
we  anchored  off  a  little  settlement,  twenty  miles  distant  from 
the  place  where  we  watered  before.  Here  our  captain  put 
•n  a  British  uniform,  and  waited  on  the  commandant  of  the 
who,  although  he  treated  him  with  politeness,  gave 


O  JOURNAL* 

evident  suspicions  that  he  was  net  an  English  officer.  T.« 
prevent  the  awkward  consequences  of  a  detection,  our  cap- 
tain promised  to  send  off  a  barrel  of  hams,  and  a  keg  of  but- 
ter. Under  the  expectation  of  the  fulfilment  of  this, rather 
rash  promise,  our  crafty  commander  returned  to  his  vessel, 
and  left  the  place  very  early  next  morning. 

It  was  now  the  middle  of  March,  and  we  had  taken  noth- 
ing:; neither  had  we  fired  our  cannon,  excepting  at  a  mise- 
rable sort  of  a  half  boat  and  half  raft,  called  a  catamaran: 
made  of  five  light  logs,  with  a  triangular  sail.  From  the 
men  on  this  miserable  vessel  we  got  information  of  a  good 
watering  place,  where  we  soon  anchored.  The  comman- 
dant of  this  little  settlement  was  of  the  colour  of  our  North 
American  Indians,  and  so  wrere  his  family,  but  the  rest  were 
nearly  as  black  as  negroes.  He  lived  in  a  house  covered 
and  worked  in  with  long  grass ;  he  offered  us  snuff  out  of  a 
box  tipped  with  silver,  but  every  thing  else  looked  very  rude 
and  simple.  While  we  were  getting  our  water,  the  females 
hovered  round  us.  They  had  long,  black,  and  shining  hair, 
and  wore  a  long  white  cotton  garment,  like  a  shirt  or  shift. 
They  seemed  to  admire  our  complexions.  One  of  these 
women,  more  forward  than  the  rest,  opened  the  bosom  of 
one  of  our  fairest  young  men,  to  see  if  his  body  was  as  white 
as  his  face.  She  appeared  to  be  highly  amused  with  the 
discovery,  and  called  her  companions  to  come  and  view  the 
phenomenon.  He  shewed  a  similar  curiosity  as  it  concerned 
her,  but  she  shrunk  from  it  with  the  apparent  delicacy  of 
polished  life,  before  so  many  men.  The  colour  of  these 
merry  girls  was  that  of  the  inside  of  a  nevr  leather  shoe. 

Just  as  we  were  about  embarking,  the  commandant  told  our 
captain  that  he  had  just  received  a  message  from  the  com- 
mandant of  Gomora,  to  seize  him  and  all  his  crew  and  send 
them  to  Pernambuco,  but  that  he  should  not  obey  him.  We 
now  set  sail  for  the  United  States,  and  had  not  been  at 
sea  long  before  we  were  chaced  by  a  frigate,  but  out  sail- 
ed her. 

On  the  20th  of  May  we  made  Gay  Head,  which  is  the 
shining  remains  of  an  extinguished  volcano,  on  the  west  end 
of  Martha's  Vineyard.  The  next  morning  we  discovered  a 
ship  and  a  brig  standing  for  us.  We  tacked  and  stood  for  the 
ship  until  we  found  that  she  was  a  man  of  war,  and  then  we 
wore  round  for  the  brig,  she  being  nearest  of  our  own  sive^-- 
We  now,  for  the  first  time,  hoisted  American  colours.  \vh«*w 


JOURNAL. 


the  brig  gave  us  a  broadside,  and  kept  up  a  constant  fire 
upon  us; "but  \ve  soon  left  her  by  our  superior  sailing  and 
management.  The  frigate,  for  such  she  proved  to  be,  was 
not  so  easily  c;ot  rid  of.  She  was  to  the  windward  of  us  when 
we  first  saw  her;  and  she  came  within  gun  shot  about  noon. 
She  firing  her  bow-chasers,  and  we  our  stern-chasers.  At 
length  she  came  almost  within  musket  shot  of  us,  when  she 
fired  repeated  broadsides  into  our  little  schooner,  so  as  to 
cut  away  almost  all  our  rigging,  when  our  brave  little  cap- 
tain went  down  below,  after  telling  the  men  "to  fight  it 
out;"  but  they  prudently  struck  their  colours.  A  boat  soon 
came  on  board  of  us  with  a  lieutenant  and  twelve  marines, 
swearing  most  bravely  at  the  d— d  Yankees.  The  name 
Yankee  is  used  with  pride  by  an  American  sailor  or  soldier; 
but  with  derision  by  the  British.  But  as  our  men  had,  ac- 
cording to  custom,  when  a  vessel  surrenders,  seized  whatever 
casks  of  liquor  they  could  come  at,  soon  filled  out  a  few 
horns  of  gin,  and  passed  it  round  among  the  marines,  which 
inspired  them  with  good  nature,  and  for  a  moment  they 
seemed  "  all  hale  fellows  well  met."  The  boarding  officer 
did  not  appear  to  be  so  intent  in  securing  the  vessel,  as  in 
searching  every  hole  and  corner  for  small  articles  to  pocket. 
The  Americans  disdain  this  dishonourable  practice.  The 
officers  and  crews  of  our  men  of  war  have  never  soiled  their 
characters  by  taking  from  their  enemies  the  contents  of  their 
chesls  and  pockets,  as  the  commanders  of  the  Britisii  frig- 
ates, whom  we  have  captured,  can  testify.  We  were  soon 
ordered  on  board  of  his  Britannic  Majesty's  ship  the  Tenc- 
doS)  captain  Parker. 

I  had  always  entertained  a  respectable  opinion  of  the 
British,  especially  of  their  national  marine.  I  had  read 
British  history,  and  listened  to  British  songs,  and  had  heard 
from  my  childhood  of  the  superior  bravery  and  generosity  of 
the  British  sailor,  and  had  entertained  a  real  respect  for 
their  character;  and  being  of  a  family  denominated /dc- 
ralhls,  I  may  be  said  to  have  entered  the  frigate  Tenedos, 
captain  Parker,  with  feelings  and  expectations  very  differ- 
ent from  what  1  should  have  felt,  had  we  been  at  war  with 
the  French,  and  had  it  been  a  frigate  of  that  nation  that  had 
captured  us.  The  French  are  a  people  marked  by  nature, 
as  well  as  by  cusioms  and  habits,  a  different  nation  from  usv 
Theh-  language  <s  different,  their  religion  is  different,  and  so 
are  their  manners.  All  those  things  have  conspi 


iV  JOURNAL. 

ing  a  wall  of  separation  between  us  and  that  lively  people. 
But  it  is  not  so  with  the  English.  Our  language,  religion, 
customs,  habits,  manners,  institutions :  and  above  all,  books 
have  united  to  make  us  feel  as  if  we  were  but  children  of 
the  same  great  family,  only  divided  by  the  Atlantic  ocean. 
All  these  things  have  a  natural  and  habitual  tendency  to 
wnite  us;  and  nothing  but  the  unfeeling  and  contemptuous 
treatment  of  us  by  the  British  military  generally,  could  have 
separated  us.  With  all  these  feelings  and  partialities  about, 
me,  I  went  from  our  schooner  over  the  side  of  the  British 
frigate  with  ditferent  feelings  from  what  I  should,  had  I  been 
going  on  board  an  enemy's  ship  of  the  French,  Spanish,  or 
Portuguese  nation.  But  what  was  my  change  of  feelings, 
on  being  driven  with  the  rest  all  up  in  a  corner  like  hogs, 
and  then  marched  about  the  deck,  for  the  strutting  captain 
of  the  frigate  to  view  and  review  us;  like  cattle  in  a  market, 
beforo  the  drover  or  butcher. 

When  our  baggage  was  brought  on  board,  the  master  of 
arms  look  every  portable  article  from  us,  not  leaving  us  a 
jack-knife,  pen-knife,  or  razor.  We  Americans  never  con- 
duct so  towards  British  prisoners.  We  always  respect  the 
private  articles  of  the  officer  and  sailor. 

On  the  same  day  we  were  put  on  board  the  brig  Curlew, 
lieutenant  Head,  a  polite  and  humane  gentleman,  and  much 
beloved  by  his  own  crew.  He  is,  I  am  informed,  son  of  an 
English  baronet.  He  is  a  plain,  honest  man,  with  easy,  ele- 
gant manners,  and  very  unlike  the  sputtering  commander  of 
the  Tenedos:  a  man  who  allowed  us  to  be  stripped  of  all 
our  little  pocket  articles :  not  much  to  the  honour  of  his 
commission,  or  credit  of  his  nation.  We  were  kept  very 
»:!ose  while  on  board  the  Curlew,  because  her  crew  was  very 
weak,  principally  decripid  old  men  and  boys;  but  then  we 
\vere  kindly  spoken  to,  and  respectfully  ami  humanely  treat- 
«-xl  by  lieutenant  Head,  and  his  worthy  surgeon.  We  can 
discover  real  gentlemen  at  sea  as  well  as  on  shore. 

We  were  landed  in  Halifax,  the  principal  British  port  of 
North  America,  and  the  capital  of  Nova  Scotia,  on  the  29th 
,»i'  .May,  1813.  We  were  soon  surrounded  by  soldiers,  and 
i'i:injr  joined  l;y  a  number  of  our  countrymen,  recently  cap- 
tured, we  were  attempted  to  be  marshalled  anil  paraded  in 
military  order,  no  as  to  make  as  grand  a  show  as  possible, 
v.  hilo  marchinjr  through  the  streets  to  pna:>ji.  The  first  thing 
ke  us  Bland  1*5  tacoosjS;  r.nrl  then  the 


JOURNAL,  11 

commending  officer  stationed  a  soldier  ou  the  flanks  of  each 
platoon  to  keep  us  regular,  and  to  march  and  wheel  according 
to  rule.  The  word  was  then  given  to  inarch,  when  we  all 
ran  up  together  just  as  we  were  when  the  strutting  captain 
Parker  reviewed  us  on  the  deck  of  the  Tenedos.  We  were 
then  commanded  to  halt.  As  we  have  no  such  word  of 
command  on  board  ofyn  American  privateer,  some  crowded 
on,  while  a  few  stopped.  The  young  officer  tried  again, 
and  made  us  stand  all  in  a  row.  Some  of  the  crew  told  their 
comrades  that  when  the  captain  sung  out  "/iflft,'1  he  meant 
"awzA'J,"  and  that  then  they  should  all  stop.  When  we  were 
all  in  order  again,  the  scarlet-coated  young  gentleman,  with 
a  golden  swab  on  his  left  shoulder,  gave  a  second  time  the 
word  of  command,  "MZflrcft.;"  by  which  word  we  all  understood 
he  meant,  "  to  Iwave  a  licad?  when  we  got  into  the  like  con- 
fusion again,  w  hen  he  cried  out  in  a  swearing  passion,  "/taft," 
en  which  some  stopped  short,  and  some  walked  on,  when 
the  whole  squad  burst  out  a  laughing.  I  know  not  what 
vould  have  been  the  consequence  of  his  ridiculous  passion 
d  not  a  navy  officer,  standing  by,  observed  to  him,  that 
ihcy  were  not  soldiers  but  sailors,  who  knew  nothing  about 
military  marching-,  or  military  words  of  command,  when  the 
young  man  told  us  to  march  on  in  our  own  way;  upon  which 
our  sailors  stuck  their  fists  in  their  pockets,  and  scrabbled 
and  reeled  on  as  sailors  always  do;  fora  sailor  does  not  know 
how  to  wakk  like  a  landsman.  On  which  account  I  have 
been  informed,  since  my  return  from  captivity,  that  all  our 
seamen,  that  were  sent  from  Boston  to  Sackett's  harbour,  on 
Lake  Ontario,  were  transported  in  coaches  with  four  horses, 
chartered  for  the  express  purpose;  and  that  it  was  common, 
for  many  weeks  together,  to  see  a  dozen  of  the  large  stage 
coaches,  set  ting  out  from  Boston  in  a  morning,  full  of  sailors 
going  up  to  the  lakes,  to  man  the  fleets  of  commodores  Perry, 
Chauncey  and  M'Donough.  The  former  of  these  command- 
ers told  the  writer,  that  he  never  allowed  a  sailor  destined  for 
his  squadron  to  walk  a  single  day.  These  merry  fellows 
used  to  ride  through  the  country  with  their  colors, and  stream- 
ers and  music,  and  heaving  the  lead  amidst  the  acclamations 
of  the  country  people,  who  delight  in  a  sailor  and  in  a  s!»ip. 
While  these  things 'were  thus  conducted  in  New-England, 
the  people  of  Old  England  were  simple  enough  to  believe 
that  the  war  with  England  was  unpopular.  They  judgul  <•'» 
us  by  oar  party  newspapers. 


JOURNAL. 

The  soldiers  marched  us  about  two  miles,  when  we  came 
to  the  spot,  where  we  were  to  take  boat  for  Melville  Island, 
the  place  of  our  imprisonment.  When  we  arrived  at  the 
gates  of  the  prison,  hammocks  and  blankets  were  served  out 
to  us,  as  our  names  were  called  over.  We  were  then  order- 
ed into  the  prison  yard.  And  here  I  must  remark,  that  I 
shall  never  forget  the  first  impression^rhich  the  sight  of  my 
wretched  looking  countrymen  made  on  my  feelings.  Here 
we  were,  at  once,  surrounded  by  a  ragged  set  of  quidnuncs, 
eagerly  inquiring  What  news?  where  we  were  taken?  and 
how?  and  what  success  we  had  met  with  before  we  were 
taken?  and  every  possible  question,  for  American  curiosity 
to  put  to  a  promiscuous  set  of  new  comers. 

After  satisfying  these  brave  fellows,  who  felt  an  uncom- 
mon interest  in  the  events  of  the  war,  and  the  news  of  the 
day,  I  had  time  to  notice  the  various  occupations  of  these 
poor  fellows.  Some  were  washing  their  own  clothes;  others 
mending  them.  Others  were  intent  on  ridding  their  shirts 
and  other  clothing  from  lice,  which,  to  the  disgrace  of  the 
British  government,  are  allowed  to  infest  our  prisoners..  It 
may,  in  part,  be  owing  to  the  nastiness  and  negligence  of  the 
prisoners  themselves,  but  the  great  fault  and  the  disgrace, 
remain  with  the  British.  Whoever  could  say  that  criminals, 
confined  in  our  state  prisons,  were  infested  with  vermin? — 
Were  our  prison  ships  in  Boston  or  Salem  ever  known  to  be 
lousy?  Shame  on,  you  Britons! 

The  buildings  on  Melville  Island  are  constructed  of  wood. 
Beside  the  prison,  there  is  a  cooking  house,  barracks  for  sol- 
diers, and  a  store-house;  a  house  for  the  officers,  and  another 
for  the  surgeon.  There  are  a  couple  of  cannon  pointing  to- 
wards the  prison;  and  a  telegraph,  for  the  purpose  of  giving 
intelligence  to  the  fort,  which  overlooks  this  island  and  the 
,.  „  town  of  fialifax.  These  buildings  are  painted  red,  and  have 
upon  the  whole,  a  neat  appearance.  The  prison  Hseif  is  iwo 
hundred  feet  in  length,  and  fifty  in  breadth.  It  is  two  sto- 
ries high;  the  upper  one  is  for  officers,  ami  for  the  infirmary 
and  dispensary;  while  the  lower  part  is  divided  into  two 
prjso/js,  one  for  the  French,  the  other  for  Americans.  The 
prison  yard  is  tittle  more  than  an  acre — the  whole  island 
being  little  more  than  live  acres.  It  is  connected  on  the 
south  side  with  the  main  land  by  a  bridge.  The  parade,  so 
called,  is  between  the  turnkey's  house  and  the  barracks. 
From  ali  which  ii  may  be  gathered  that  Alolviiie  Island  is  a 


humble  garrison,  and  a  very  dreary  spot  for  the  officer 
who  commands  there. 

The  view  from  the  prison  exhibits  a  range  of  dreary  hills. 
On  the  northern  side  are  a  few  scattered  dwellings,  and  som« 
attempts  at  cultivation;  on  the  southern  nothing  appears  but 
immense  piles  of  rocks,  with  bushes,  scattered  here  and  there 
in  their  hollows  and  crevices;  if  their  summer  appearance 
conveys  the  idea  of  barrenness,  their  winter  appearance  must 
be  dreadful  in  this  region  of  almost  everlasting  frost  and  snow. 
This  Unfruitful  country  is  rightly  named  New  Scotland. — 
Barren  and  unfruitful  as  old  Scotland  is,  our  Nova  Seotia  is 
worse.  If  Churchill  were  alive,  what  might  he  not  say  of 
this  rude  and  unfinished  part  of  creation,  that  glories  in  the 
name  of  "  New  Scotland?"  The  picture  would  here  be  com- 
plete if  it  were  set  off  with  here  and  there  a  meagre  and  dried 
up  Highlander,  without  shoes,  stockings  or  breeches,  with  a 
ragged  plaid,  a  little  blue  flat  bonnet,  sitting  on  a  bleak  rock 
playing  a  bag-pipe,  and  singing  the  glories  of  a  country  thai, 
never  was  conquered !  To  finish  the  picture,  you  have  only 
to  imagine  a  dozen  more  ragged,  rawboried  Scotchmen,  sit- 
ting on  the  bare  rocks  around  the  piper,  knitting  stockings 
to  send  to  England  and  America,  where  they  can  afford  to 
wear  them.  Such  is  Scotia,  old  and  new,  whose  sons  are 
remarkable  for  their  inveterate,  hatred  of  tke  Americans,  as 
we  shall  see  in  the  course  of  this  narrative. 

As  to  the  inside  of  the  prison  at  Melville  Island,  if  the 
American  reader  expects  to  hear  it  represented  as  a  place 
resembling  the  large  prisons  for  criminals  in  the  United  States, 
such  as  those  at  Boston,  Chark'stown,  New  York,  or  Phila- 
delphia, he  will  he  sadly  disappointed.  Some  of  these  pri- 
sons are  as  clean  and  nearly  as  comfortable,  as  some  of  the 
monasteries  and  convents  in  Europe.  Our  new  prisons  in 
the  United  Stales  reflect  great  honor  on  the  nation.  They 
speak  loudly  that  we  are  a  considerate  and  humane  people; 
wheroas  the  prison  at  Halifax,  erected  solely  for  the  safe 
keeping  of  prisoners  of  war,  resembles  an  horse  stable,  with 
stalls  or  stanchions,  for  separating  the  cattle  from  each  other. 
It  is  to  a  contrivance  of  this  sort  that  they  attach  the  cords 
that  support  those  canv-iss  bags,  or  cradles,  called  hammocks. 
Four  tier  of  these  hanging-nests  were  made  to  swing  one 
above  another,  betv-  een  these  stalls  or  stanchions.  To  those 
unused  to  these  lofty  sleeping-births,  they  were  rather  unplea- 
sant situatioiii  for  repose.  But  use  makes  every  thing  easy. 


14  JOURNAL. 

The  first  time  I  was  shut  up  for  the  night,  in  this  prison,  it 
distressed  me  too  much  to  close  my  eyes.  Its  closeness  and 
smell  were,  in  a  degree,  disagreeable,  but  this  was  trifling  to 
what  I  experienced  afterwards,  in  another  place.  The 
general  hum  and  confused  noise  from  almost  every  hammock, 
was  at  first,  very  distressing.  Some  would  be  lamenting 
their  hard  fate  at  being  shut  up  like  negro  slaves  in  a  Guinea 
ship,  or  like  fowls  in  a  hen  coop,  for  no  crime,  but  for  fight- 
ing the  battles  of  their  country.  Some  were  cursing  and 
execrating  their  oppressors ;  others,  late  at  night,  were  relat- 
ing their  adventures  to  a  new  prisoner;  others  lamenting 
tiieir  aberrations  from  rectitude,  and  disobedience  of  parents, 
and  head  strong  wilfulness,  that  drove  them  to  sea,  contrary 
to  their  parents'  wish,  while  others  of  the  younger  class,  were 
sobbing  out  their  lamentations  at  the  thoughts  of  what  their 
mothers  and  sisters  suffered,  after  knowing  of  their  imprison- 
ment. Not  unfrequently  the  whole  night  was  spent  in  this 
way,  and  when,  about  day  break,  the  weary  prisoner  fell  into 
a  dose,  he  was  waked  from  his  slumber  by  the  grinding  noise 
of  the  locks,  and  the  unbarring  of  the  doors,  with  the  cry  of 
"  turn  out — all  oitt?  when  each  man  took  down  his  hammock 
and  lashed  it  up,  and  slung  it  on  his  back,  and  was  ready  to 
answer  to  the  toll  call  of  the  turnkey.  If  any,  through  nat- 
ural heaviness,  or  indisposition,  was  dilatory,  he  was  sure  to 
feel  the  bayonet  of  the  brutal  soldier,  who  appeared  to  us  to 
have  a  natural  antipathy  to  a  sailor,  and  from  what  I  observ- 
ed, I  believe  that  in  general  little  or  no  love  is  lost  between 
them. 

This  prison  is  swept  out  twice  a  week,  by  the  prisoners. — 
The  task  is  performed  by  the  respective  messes  in  turns. — 
When  the  prison  is  washed,  the  prisoners  are  kept  out  until 
it  is  perfectly  dry.  This,  in  the  wet  seasons,  and  in  the  se- 
verity of  winter,  is  sometimes  very  distressing  and  dangerous 
to  health;  for  there  is  no  retiring  place  for  shelter;  it  is  like 
a  stable,  where  the  cattle  are  either  under  cover,  or  exposed 
to  the  weather,  be  it  ever  so  inclement. 

When  we  arrived  here  in  May,  1813,  there  were  about 
nine  hundred  prisoners ;  but  many  died  by  the  severity  of 
the  winter ;  for  the  quantity  of  fuel  allowed  by  the  British 
government  was  insufficient  to  convey  warmth  through  the 
prison.  The  men  were  cruelly  harrassed  by  the  barbaror.s 
custom  of  mustering  and  parading  them  in  the  severest  cold, 
aad  even  in  snow  storms.  The  agent,  Milter,  might  have 


JOURNAL. 

alleviated  the  sufferings  of  our  people,  had  he  been  so  dis- 
posed, without  relaxation  of  duty.  But  he ,  as  well  as  the 
turnkey,  named  Grant,  seemed  to  take  delight  in  tormenting 
the  Americans.  This  man  would  often  keep  the  prisoners 
out  tor  many  hours,  in  the  severest  weather,  when  the  mer- 
cury was  ten  and  fifteen  degrees  below  zero,  under  a  pre- 
text that  the  prison  had  been  washed,  and  was  not  sufficient- 
ly dry  for  their  reception :  when  in  fact  every  drop  of  water 
used  was  in  a  moment  ice.  People  in  the  southern  states, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  England  and  Ireland,  can  form  no 
adequate  idea  of  the  frightful  climate  of  Nova  Scotia.  The 
description  of  the  sufferings  of  our  poor  fellows  the  past  win- 
ter, was  enough  to  make  one's  heart  ach,  and  to  rouse  our 
indignation  against  the  agents  in  this  business. 

Our  people  are  sensible  to  kind  treatment,  and  are  ready 
to  acknowledge  humane  and  considerate  conduct  towards 
themselves,  or  towards  their  companions;  but  they  are  re- 
sentful in  proportion  as  they  are  grateful.  They  speak  very 
generally  of  the  conduct  of  Miller,  the  agent,  and  Grant,  the 
turnkey,  with  disgust  and  resentment.  .  A  complaint  was 
made  to  him  of  the  badness  of  the  beef  served  out  to 
the  prisoners,  upon  which  he  collected  the  prisoners,  and 
mounting  the  stair-case,  began  a  most  passionate  harrangue, 
declaring  that  the  beef  .was  good  enough,  and  a  d — d  deal 
better  than  they  had  in  their  own  country :  and  if  they  did 
not  eat  it  they  should  have  none.  He  then  went  on  as  fol- 
lows r  "  Hundreds  of  you,  d — »d  scoundrels,  have  been  tome 
"  begging  and  pleading  that  I  would  interpose  my  influence 
"  that  you  might  be  the  first  to  be  exchanged,  to  return  home 
to  your  families,  who  were  starving  in  your  absence ;  and 
now  you  have  the  impudence  to  tell  me  to  my  face,  that 
the  king's  beef  is  not  good  enough  for  your  dainty  stomach*. 
Why  some  of  that  there  beef  is  good  enough  for  me  to  eat. 
You  are  a  set  of  mean  rascals,  you  beg  of  an  enemy  the 
*'  favours  which  your  own  government  won't  grant  you. 
"  You  complain  of  ill  treatment*  when  you  never  fared  bet- 
"  ter  in  your  lives.  Had  you  been  in  a  French  prison,  and 
•-  fed  on  horse  beef,  you  would  have  some  grounds  of  com- 
"  plaint;  but  here  in  his  Britannic  Majesty's  royal  prison., 
i;  you  have  every  thing  that  is  right  and  proper  for  persona 
ic  taken  fighting  against  his  crown  and  dignity.  There  is  a 
"  surgeon  here  for  you  if  you  are  sick,  and  physic  for  you  to 
*c  take  if  you  are  sick,  and  a  hospital  to  go  to  into  the  bargain  j 


36 

"  and  if  you  die,  there  are  boards  enough  (pointing  to  a  pile 
c*  of  lumber  in  the  yard)  for  to  make  you  coffins,  and  an  him- 
"  dred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  to  bury  you  in ;  and  if  you  are 
'*  not  satisfied  with  all  this,  you  may  die  and  be  d — d." 
Having  finished  this  eloquent  harrangue,  orator  Miller  des- 
cended from  his  rostrum,  and  strutted  out  of  the  prison  yard, 
accompanied  with  hisses  from  some  of  the  prisoners. 

On  a  re-examination,  however,  of  the  "  king's  beef,-'  some 
pieces  were  found  too  much  tainted  for  a  dog  to  eat,  and  the 
prisoners  threw  it  over  the  pickets.  After  this  the  supply  of 
wholesome  meat  was  such  as  it  ought  to  be ;  full  good  enough 
for  Mr.  Miller  himself  to  eat ;  and  some  of  the  very  best 
pieces  good  enough  for  Mr.  Grant,  the  turnkey. 

Jn  all  this  business  of  provision  for  prisoners  of  war,  one 
thing  ougvt  to  be  taken  into  consideration,  which  may  be 
offered  as  an  extenuation  of  crime  alledged  against  the  Brit- 
ish agents  for  prisoners ;  and  that  is,  that  the  American  sol- 
dier and  sailor  live  infinitely  better  in  America,  than  the 
same  class  of  people  do  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  Gene- 
rally speaking,  an  American  eats  three  times  the  quantity  of 
animal  food  that  fall  to  the  share  of  the  same  class  of  people 
in  England,  Holland,  Germany,  Denmark,  or  Sweden.  He 
sleeps  more  comfortably,  and  lives  in  greater  plenty  of  fish, 
flesh,  vegetables,  cider,  and  spirituous  liquors.  Add  to  this, 
his  freedom  is  in  a  manner  unbounded.  He  speaks  his  mind 
to  any  man.  If  he  thinks  he  is  wronged,  he  seeks  redress 
with  confidence;  if  he  is  insulted,  he  resents  it;  and  if  you 
should  venture  to  strike  him,  he  never  will  rest  quiet  under 
the  dishonour;  yet  you  seldom  or  ever  hear  of  quarrels  end- 
ing in  murder.  The  dagger  and  pistol  are  weapons  in  a 
manner  unknown.  The  fist,  a  la  mode  de  John  Bull,  is  com- 
monly the  ultimatum  of  a  Yankee's  revenge. 

We  often  hear  the  British,  if  they  are  unsuccessful,  la- 
menting the  war  between  England  and  America ;  they  call 
it  aa  unhappy  strife  between  brethren ;  and  they  attribute 
this  "unnatural  war,"  to  a  French  influence;  and  their 
friends  in  New  England,  who  are  denominated  tones,  use 
the  same  language.  They  say  that  all  the  odium  of  the  war 
ought  to  fall  on  our  administration  and  their  wicked  sedu- 
cers, the  French;  and  yet  you  will  find  that  both  in  Eng- 
land, and  at  Halifax,  the  French  meet  with  better  treatment 
than  their  dear  brothers,  the  Americani. 


JOtllNAf, 


\Ve  found  that  there  were  about  two  hundred  French 
prisoners  in  Nova  Scotia.  Some  had  been  there  ever 
since  1803.  Few  of  them  were  confined  in  prison.  The 
chief  of  them  lived  in  or  near  the  town  of  Halifax,  working 
for  the  inhabitants,  or  teaching  dancing,  or  fencing,  or  their 
own  language.  Some  were  employed  as  butchers  and  cooks; 
others  as  nurses  in  the  hospital ;  and  they  were  every  where 
favoured  for  their  complaisance,  obedience,  and  good  hu- 
mour. They  had  the  character  of  behaving  better  towards 
the  British  officers  and  inhabitants  than  the  Americans,  and 
I  believe  with  reason ;  for  our  men  seem  to  take  a  delight 
in  plaguing,  embarrassing,  and  alarming  those  who  were  set 
over  them.  A  Frenchman  always  tried  to  please,  while 
many  Americans  seemed  to  take  an  equal  delight  in  letting 
the  Nova  Scotians  know  that  they  longed  to  be  at  liberty  to 
fight  them  again.  I  confess  I  do  not  wonder  that  the 
submissive,  smiling  Frenchmen  made  more  friends  at  Hali- 
fax than  the  ordinary  run  of  American  seamen,  who  seemed 
too  often  to  look  and  speak  as  if  they  longed  to  tiy  again  the 
tug  of  war  with  John  Bull. 

Sunday  being  a  leisure  day  among  the  men  of  business  in 
Halifax  and  its  vicinity,  the  old  refugees  from  the  United 
Stateg  used  to  come  round  the  prison  to  gratify  their  evil 
eyes,  instead  of  going  to  a  place  of  worship,  with  the  light 
of  what  they  called  "  rebels."  These  are  generally  Scotch- 
men, or  sons  of  Scotchmen,  and  are  very  bitter  against  the 
Americans.  Some  of  this  class  were  clergymen,  who  came 
occasionally  to  pray  and  preach  with  us  in  prison.  We  paid 
every  mark  of  respect  to  every  modest  and  prudent  minis- 
ter who  came  among  us  to  perform  divine  service;  but  we 
never  could  restrain  our  feelings,  when  one  of  these  refugee 
gentlemen  came  among  us,  praying  for  king  George  and  the 
royal  family  of  England.  The  men  considered  it  as  an  in- 
sult, and  resented  it  accordingly.  Some  of  these  imprudent 
'  men  would  fulminate  the  vengeance  of  Heaven,  for  what 
they  conceived  political,  instead  of  moral  errors.  The  pri- 
soners respected  some  of  these  reverend  gentlemen  highly, 
while  they  despised  some  others.  The  priesthood,  however, 
have  less  hold  on  the  minds  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  than  of  any  other  people  on  earth. 

The  Bishops  and  Church  of  England  are  fast  destroying 
their  own  craft,  by  aiding  the  sly  dissenters  in  spreading  the 
Inble  through  every  family  iu  Britain,  and  in  America.  In 


18  JOURNAL. 

readiqg  this  blessed  book,  the  people  will  see  how  Christian 
ity  has  been  corrupted.  They  will  compare  the  archbishops 
and  dignified  clergy  of  the  present  degenerate  days,  with  the 
plainness  of  our  Saviour,  and  with  the  simplicity  of  the  holy 
fishermen,  and  other  of  his  disciples.  Before  this  book  the 
factitious  institutions  and  gorgeous  establishments  of  the 
modern  priesthood  will  fade  and  die,  like  Jonah's  gourd.  The 
English  Episcopacy  never  has,  nor  ever  will,  take  deep  root 
in  the  United  States.  It  can  never  flourish  in  the  American 
soil.  Even  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  is  here  a  humble 
and  rational  thing.  Its  ministers  are  highly  respected,  be- 
cause their  lives  adorn  their  doctrines ;  and  the  parochial 
otire  of  their  flock,  who  are  principally  Irish,  is  seen  and 
commended.  It  is  observed  throughout  our  sea  ports,  that 
the  seafaring  people  are  generous  supporters  of  their  minis- 
ters; but  these  same  people  can  never  be  made  to  pay 
tythes,  or  to  hear  and  support  a  minister  whom  they  ha*d 
not  directly  or  remotely  chosen.  This  is  the  predominant 
sentiment  of  all  the  Anglo-Americans. 

The  daily  allowance  of  the  British  government  to  our 
prisoners,  is  one  pound  of  bread,  one  pound  of  beef,  and  one 
gill  of  peas.  Over  and  above  this  we  received  from  the 
American  agent  a  sufficiency  of  coffee,  sugar,  potatoes,  and 
tobacco.  The  first  may  be  called  the  bare  necessaries  of 
life,  but  the  latter  contribute  much  to  its  comfortable  enjoy- 
ment. Whether  the  British  government  ought  not  to  have 
found  the  w^hole,  I  am  not  prepared  to  determine;  but  cer- 
tainly, before  this  addition  from  our  own  agent,  our  men 
complained  bitterly  :  and  it  is  a  fact,  that  the  agent  here 
more  than  once  detained  tobacco,  sent  as  a  present  to  us 
from  our  agent  at  Boston. 

Injustice  to  Mr.  Miller,  the  British  agent,  I  ought  to  re- 
cord that  he  paid  great  attention  to  the  cleanliness  of  the 
prison,  and  to  the  clothes  of  the  men ;  and  I  must,  at  the 
same  time,  say  that  some  of  our  men  were  very  dirty,  lazy 
fellows,  that  required  constantly  spurring  up  to  keep  them 
from  being  offensive.  This  indolent  and  careless  disposition 
was  observed  to  be  chiefly  among  those  who  had  been  for- 
merly intemperate ;  they  felt  the  loss  of  their  beloved  stimu- 
lus, their  spirits  sunk,  and  they  had  rather  lay  down  and  rot, 
and  die,  than  exert  themselves.  There  were  a  few  who 
seemed  to  be  like  hogs,  innately  dirty,  and  who  had  rather 
lie  dirty  than  clean.  Mr.  Miller  had  therefore  great  merit 


JOURNAL*  19 

in  compelling  these  men  to  follow  the  rules  prescribed  to  the 
whole  prison.  For  this  he  had  the  thanks  of  every  consid- 
erate American. 

It  was  a  common  remark,  that  the  most  indolent  and  most 
slovenly  men  were  the  most  vicious ;  and  a  dirty  external 
wras  a  pretty  sure  indication  of  a  depraved  mind.  Such  as 
would  not  conform  to  the  rules  of  cleanliness  were  commit- 
ted to  the  Hack  hole,  which  was  under  the  prison,  and  divid- 
ed into  solitary  cells.  The  agent  had  the  power  of  confin- 
ing a  prisoner  in  one  of  these  dungeons  during  ten  days.  It 
is  to  the  credit  of  our  seamen  to  remark,  that  they  co-oper- 
rated  with  the  agent  most  heartily  in  whatever  tended 
to  preserve  the  cleanliness  of  their  persons,  and  they  ap- 
plauded the  confinement  of  such  as  were  disinclined  to  fol- 
low the  salutary  rules  of  the  prison. 

We  were  one  day  not  a  little  shocked  by  the  arrival  of  a 
number  of  American  soldiers  who  were  entrapped  and  taken 
with  Colonel  Boerstler,  in  Upper  Canada.  They  exhibited 
a  picture  of  starvation,  misery,  woe,  and  despair.  Their 
miserable  condition  called  forth  our  sympathy  and  compas- 
sion, ami  I  may  add*  excited  our  resentment  against  the  au- 
thors of  their  distress.  These  unfortunate  landsmen  had 
never  been  used  to  "  rough  it"  like  sailors,  but  had  lived  (he 
easy  life  of  farmers  and  mechanics.  Some  of  them  had  nev- 
er experienced  the  hardships  of  a  soldiers  life,  but  were 
raw,  inexperienced  militia  men.  They  were  taken  at  some 
creek  between  Fort  George  and  Little  York,  by  the  Brit- 
ish and  their  allies  the  Indians,  who  stripped  them  of  most 
of  their  clothing,  and  then  wore  them  down  by  very  long 
and  harrassing  marches;  first  to  Montreal,  and  then  to  Que- 
bec; and  soon  after  crowded  them  on  board  transports,  like 
negroes  in  a  Guinea  ship,  where  some  suffered  a  lingering 
death,  and  others  merely  escaped  it.  It  appears  from  their 
account,  and  from  every  other  account,  that  the  treatment 
of  these  poor  fellows  at  their  capture,  and  on  their  march, 
and  more  especially  on  board  the  transports  from  Quebec  to 
Halifax,  was  barbarous  in  the  extreme,  and  highly  disgrace- 
ful to  the  British  name  and  nation. 

We  have  it  asserted  uniformly,  that  the  prisoners,  who 
cnnw  from  Quebec  to  Halifax  and  to  Boston,  down  the  St. 
Lawrence,  were  treated  and  provided  for  in  a  manner  little 
above  brutes.  Colonel  SCOTT,  now  Major  General  Scott, 
by  that  route  from  Quebec  to  Boston,  and  it  ia  well 


20  JOURNAL. 

known  that  he  complained,  that  there  were  neither  aceom. 
modations,  provisions,  nor  any  thing  on  board  the  ship  prop- 
er for  a  gentleman.  He  spoke  of  the  whole  treatment  he  re- 
ceived with  deep  disgust  and  pointed  resentment.  If  an 
officer  of  his  rank  and  accomplishments  had  so  much  reason 
for  complaint,  we  may  easily  conceive  what  the  private  sol- 
dier must  have  endured. 

We  paid  every  attention  in  onr  power  to  these  poor  sol- 
diers, whose  emaciated  appearance  and  dejection  gave  us 
reason  to  expect  that  an  end  would  soon  be  put  to  their  suf- 
ferings by  death.  They,  however,  recruited  fast;  and  we 
were  soon  convinced,  that  they  were  reduced  to  the  condi- 
tion we  saw  them  in,  absolutely  for  want  of  food.  The  ac- 
count which  these  soldiers  gave  of  their  hardships  was 
enough  to  fill  with  rage  and  resentment  the  heart  of  a  saint. 
Four  men  were  not  allowed  more  provisions  than  what  wa* 
needful  for  one.  They  assured  us,  that  if  they  had  not  se* 
cretly  come  at  some  bags  of  ship  bread,  unknown  to  the  of- 
ficers of  the  transport,  they  must  have  perished  for  want  of 
food.  We  cannot  pass  over  one  anecdote.  Some  fish  were 
caught  by  our  own  people  on  the  passage,  in  common  with 
the  crew,  but  they  were  compelled  to  deliver  them  all  to  the 
captain  of  the  ship,  who  withheld  them  from  the  American 
prisoners.  Some  of  the  prisoners  had  a  little  money,  and 
the  captain  of  the  transport  was  mean  enough  to  take  a  dol- 
lar for  a  single  cod  fish,  from  men  in  their  situation.  This 
fact  has  appeared  in  several  Boston  papers,  with  the  names 
of  the  persons  concerned,  and  has  never  been  contradicted 
or  doubted.  We  give  this  as  the  common  report;  and  as 
the  Boston  newspapers  circulated  freely  through  Nova  Sco- 
'ia  and  Canada,  we  infer,  that  had  the  siory  been  void  of 
truth,  it  would  have  been  contradicted.  This  has  been  am- 
ply confirmed. 

Those  Americans  who  have  no  other  knowledge  of  the 
English  character,  but  what  they  gather  from  books  made  in 
London  ;  and  from  their  dramatic  productions,  and  from  their 
national  songs,  would  believe,  as  I  myself  once  did,  that 
John  Bull,  (by  which  name  Uean  Swift  personified  the 
whole  nation)  was  a  humane,  tender-hearted,  generous 
gentleman ;  but  let  him  be  once  in  the  power  of  an  Eng- 
lishman, or  what  is  stiil  worse,  of  a  Scotchman,  and  if 
will  correct  his  erroneous  notions.  An  Englishman  is 
strongly  attached  to  his  king  and  country;  a»d  thinks  noth- 


JOURNAL.  -1 

tug  on  earth  can  equal  them,  while  he  holds  all  the  rest  of 
the  wrorld  in  comparative  contempt.  Until  the  days  of  Bo- 
naparte, the  people  of  England  really  believed  that  one  Eng- 
lishman could  flog  six  Frenchmen.  They,  at  one  time,  had 
the  same  idea  of  us,  Americans ;  but  the  late  wrar  has  cor- 
rected their  articles  of  belief.  The  humanity  of  the  British 
is  one  of  the  most  monstrous  impositions,  now  afloat  in  the 
world. 

The  most  glaring  feature  in  the  English  character  is  a 
vain  glorious  ostentation,  as  ia  exhibited  in  their  elegant 
and  costly  steeples,  superb  hospitals,  useless  cathedrals, 
lying  columns;  such  as  the  monument  near  London  bridge, 
which  as  Pope  says  of  it, 

"  Lifts  its  tall  head  and  lies." 

But  if  you  wish  to  learn  their  real  character,  look  at  their 
bloody  code  of  laws,  read  their  wars  with  Wales,  with  Scot- 
land, and  with  Ireland.  Look  at  India,  and  at  their  own 
West  India  Islands.  Look  at  the  present  "  border  war" 
carried  on  by  associating  themselves  with  our  savages; 
look  into  this  very  prison,  ask  the  soldiers  just  brought  into 
it,  what  they  think  of  British  humanity  or  British  bravery. 
A  reliance  on  British  veracity  and  honour  caused  these  poor 
fellows  lo  surrender,  when  they  found  them  worse  than  the 
Indians.  These  things  may  be  forgiven,  but  they  ought 
never  to  be  forgotten. 

NOVA  SCOTIA,  or  New  Scotland,  was  formerly  called  Che- 
Ittcto  by  the  native  Indians.  It  is  a  dreary  region.  The 
country,  for  many  miles  west  of  Halifax,  is  a  continued 
range  of  mountains,  rising  one  over  the  other,  as  far  as  the 
eye  can  reach.  The  winters  are  severe,  and  the  springs 
backward.  The  trees  appeared  to  be  as  bare  on  the  20Ui 
of  May  as  the  same  kind  of  trees  do  in  the  middle  of  March, 
with  us  in  Massachusetts.  To  us  there  was  something  hid- 
eous in  the  aspect  of  their  mountains ;  but  this  may  have  beea 
partly  owing  to  our  own  hideous  habitation,  -and  low  spirits, 
The  same  objects  may  have  appeared  charming  in  the  eyes 
«>f  a  Scotch  family,  just  arrived  from  the  fag-end  of  the  Isl- 
and of  Great  Britain. 

The  capital,  Halifax,  was  settled  by  a  number  of  British 
subjects  in  1749.  His  situated  on  a  spacious  and  commo- 
dious bay  or  harbour,  called  Chebucto,  of  a  bold  and  easy 


22  .5  or:  SNA;. 

entrance,  where  a  thousand  of  the  largest  ships  might  ride 
with  safety.  The  town  is  built  on  the  west  side  of  the  har- 
bor, arid  on  the  declivity  of  a  commanding  hill,  whose  sum- 
mit is  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  feet  perpendicular  from 
the  level  of  the  sea.  The  town  is  laid  out  into  oblong 
squares;  the  streets  parallel  and  at  right  angles.  The  town 
and  suburbs  are  about  two  miles  in  length  ;  and  the  general 
width  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  It  contained  in  1793,  about  four 
thousand  inhabitants  and  seven  hundred  houses.  At  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  town,  is  the  king's  naval  yard, 
completely  built  and  supplied  with  stores  of  every  kind  for 
the  royal  navy.  The  harbor  of  Halifax  is  reckoned  inferi- 
or to  no  place  in  British  America  for  the  seat  of  government, 
?K;ing  open  and  accessible  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  when 
almost  all  other  harbors  in  these  provinces  are  locked  up 
with  ice^  also  from  its  entrance,  situation,  and  its  proximi- 
ty to  the  bay  ot  Fundy,  and  "principal  interior  settlements  of 
the  province.  This  city  lying  on  the  S  coast  of  Nova  Sco- 
lia  has  communication  with  Pictou,  sixty-eight  miles  to  the 
NE  on  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  by  a  good  cart  road  finish- 
ed in  1792.  It  is  twelve  miles  northerly  of  Cape  Sambro, 
which  forms  in  part  the  entrance  of  the  bay  ;  twenty-seven 
south  easterly  of  Windsor,  forty  N  by  E  of  Truro,  eighty  N 
K  by  E  of  Annapolis,  on  the  bay  of  Fundy,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-seven  SE  of  St.  Ann,  in  New  Brunswick, 
measuring  in  a  straight  line.  N  lat.  44,  40,  W  Ion.  63, 15. 

It  was  settled  chiefly  by  Scotchmen;  and  since  the  rev- 
olutionary war,  which  secured  our  independence,  they  have 
received  considerable  additions  from  the  United  States,  of  a 
«:.Jass  of  men  denominated  refugees,  who  exiled  themselves, 
©n  account  of  our  republicanism,  and  of  their  own  attach- 
ment to  the  best  of  kings.  They  show  too  often  their 
hatred  to  us.  To  this  day  they  call  us  "  rebels  /"  and  they 
£}>er.k  to  us  in  a  style  and  tone  as  if  they  were  sorry  they 
could  not  murder  us  without  the  risk  of  being  hanged. 

In  1757  to  1759,  when  the  British  were  engaged  in  a  war 
with  the  French  and  Indians,  and  were  in  possession  of 
Halifax  with  a  large  land  and  naval  force,  they  were  oblig- 
ed to  fetch  their  wood  for  fuel  from  Boston,  as  they  could 
not  venture,  (says  Capt.  Knox,  their  military  historian)  be- 
>  or.i!  their  walls  and  breastworks  ;  and  yet  "tkinkinr  Jonny 
BwV  seiit  a  land  and  naval  force  to  conquei  us,  in  1814  ! 
of  all  "  thinking"  beings,  of  which  we  have  ever  had  an  ac- 


JOURNAL, 

liouut  this  Mr.  Bull  is  the  strangest !  Peradventure  much 
thinking  has  had  the  same  effect  on  this  poor  gentleman  thai 
mich  learning  has  had  on  another. 

It  is  strange,  it  is  passing  strange,  that  a  whole  people 
should  be  so  strongly  attached  to  the  honor,  crown  and  dig- 
nity of  their  conquerors,  as  the  Scotch  are  to  the  present  roy- 
al family  of  England,  whose  ancestor  was,  in  fact,  an  usurper 
of  the  crown  and  dignities  of  the  Scotch  race  of  kings,  the 
self  sufficient  Stewarts.  The  most  remarkable  thing  in  the 
reign  of  George  the  3d  (besides  that  of  loosing  America)  is  the 
perfect  conciliation  of  the  Scotch.  Whether  this  was  owing 
to  my  Lord  Bute,  or  to  his  relation,  I  am  unable  to  say ;  but 
it  is  a  singular  thing  in  the  history  of  nations,  when  we  take 
into  consideration  the  cruel  treatment  of  the  Scotch  so  low 
down  as  the  year  ,1745.  As  there  is  no  new  thing  under 
the  sun,  arid  what  has  been  may  be  again,  who  knows  but 
that  the  Cherokccs  and  Choclarvs,  the  Chipptwas,  the  Hurons, 
the  Patlowalomies  and  Kickapoos,  may  hereafter  become 
most  attached  to  our  government,  and  afford  us  Judges,  Se- 
cretarif.s  of  State,  Admirals,  Generals,  Governors  of  Provin- 
ces, Grooms  of  the  Poet's  Stool,  and  Historians  ?  Who  knows 
but  the  day  will  come,  when  there  shall  spring  up  from  the 
mud  and  ooze  of  our  own  trifling  lakes,  another  Waller  Scott, 
who  shall  sing  as  sublimely  the  story  of  our  border-wars  ; 
and  who  shall  be  able  to  trace  a  long  and  illustrious  line  of 
ancestry,  up  to  the  renowned  chief  Split-log,  Walk  in-thc- 
natcr,  Hanging-maw,  or  to  Tecumsch  ?  Who  knows  but  that 
among  these  American  Highlanders,  we  may  find  another 
Ossian  and  another  Fingal  ?  for  what  has  been,  under  similar 
circumstances,  may  be  again. 

Earjy  in  the  month  of  July,  we  were  not  a  little  disturb- 
ed by  the  arrival  of  the  crew  of  our  ill  omened,  ill  fated 
Chesapeake 

The  capture  of  this  American  frigate  by  the  British  fri- 
gate Shannon  of  equal  force,  was  variously  related.  From 
all  that  I  could  gather,  she  was  not  judiciously  brought  into 
action,  nor  well  fought  after  Capt.  Laurence  fell.  It  is  too 
much  like  the  British  to  hunt  up  every  possible  excuse  for  a 
defeat ;  but  we  must  conclude,  and  1  have  since  found  it  a 
general  opinion  in  the  United  States, that  the  frigate  was  by 
HO  means  in  a  condition  to  go  into  action.  The  captain 
was  a  stranger  to  his  own  crew  ;  his  ship  was  lumbered  up 
with  her  cables  and  every  thing  else.  She  ought  to  huv<- 


7 

24  JOURNAL; 

cruised  three  or  four  days  before  she  met  the  fthanuen,  ssa 
that,  it  seems,  was  the  opinion  of  the  brave  captain  of  the 
British  frigate;  who  was  every  way  prepared  for  the  ac- 
tion. 

The  rapid  destruction  of  the  British  sloop  of  war  Peacock, 
gave  Lawrence  high  reputation ;  and  he  felt  as  if  he  must 
act  up  to  his  high  character.  He  seemed  like  an  hero  im- 
pelled, by  high  ideas  of  chivalry,  to  fight,  conquer  or  die, 
without  attending  to  the  needful  cautions  and  preparations. 
His  first  officer  he  left  sick  on  shore,  who  died  a  few  days 
after  the  battle;  his  next  officer  was  soon  killed;  soon  i-fler 
which  he  fell  himself,  uttering  the  never  to  be  forgotteii 
words,  "  DON'T  GIVE  UP  THE  SHIP,"  which  has  since  be- 
come a  sort  of  national  motto.  While-  the  British  captain 
prudently  dressed  himself  in  a  short  jacket  and  round  hat, 
so  as  not  to  distinguish  himself  from  the  other  officers,  our 
Capt.  Lawrence,  who  was  six  feet  and  upwards  tall,  was  in 
his  uniform  and  military  hat,  a  fair  and  inviting  mark  for  the 
enemy's  sharp  shooters.  No  one  doubted  his  bravery,  but 
some  have  called  his  prudence  in  question. 

This  heroic  man  and  his  Lieutenant,  Liullmv,  were  three 
times  buried  with  great  military  pomp ;  first  at  Halifax — 
then  at  Salem,  and  last  of  all  at  New-York.  The  name  of 
Lawrence  is  consecrated  in  America,  while  his  ever  unlucky 
ship  is  doomed  to  everlasting  ignominy ;  for  this  was  the  ves- 
sel that  preferred  allowing  the  British  ship  Leopard  to  muster 
her  crcrv,  instead  of  sinking;,  with  her  colors  flying. 

In  the  month  of  AugusF,  Halifax  WKS  alarmed,  or  pretend- 
ed to  be  alarmed,  by  a  rumor  that  the  prisoners  on  Melville 
Island,  which  is  al  out  three  miles,  or  less,  from  the  town, 
meditated  a  sally,  with  the  determination  of  seizing  the  cap- 
ital of  iSTova  Scotia.  They  immediately  took  the  most  se- 
rious precautions,  and  screwed  up  their  municipal  regulations 
to  the  highest  pitch.  All  the  loyal  citizens  entrusted  with 
arms,  were  ordered  to  keep  themselves  in  readiness  to  march 
at  a  minute's  warning  to  repel  the  meditated  attack  of  about 
a  thousand  unarmed  Yankees,  rendered  formidable  by  a  re- 
inforcement of  a  few  dozen  half  starved  soldiers,  who  were 
taken  ;«y  the  Indians  and  B^tish,  and  sent  from  Quebec 
down  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  to  the  formidable  American 
post  on  Melville  Island,  uMer  the  command  of  turnkey 
Grant !  who  was  himself  under  the  command  of  Lieut.  Gen- 
eral Mr.  Agent  Miller ! 


JOURNAL. 


It  \vas  reported  and  believed  by  many  in  Halifax,  that  the 
prisoners  had  made  arrangements  for  the  attack,  and  had 
sworn  to  massacre  every  man,  woman  and  child.  When  we 
found  that  they  really  believed  the  ridiculous  story,  we  must 
confess  that  we  enjoyed  their  terror,  and  laughed,  inwardly, 
at  their  formidable  precautions  of  defence.  They  placed  a 
company  of  artillery,  with  two  pieces  of  cannon  on  a  height 
south  of  the  prison;  and  cleared  up  a  piece  of  land,  and  sta- 
tioned another  corps  of  artillery  with  a  cannon  so  placed  as 
to  rake  our  habitation  lengthwise,  while  centries  were  placed 
at  regulated  distances  on  the  road,  all  the  way  into  the  town 
ef  Halifax.  An  additional  number  of  troops  were  station- 
ed on  the  island,  who  bivouacked*  in  the  open  air  near  to  the 
officers'  dwellings  ;  in  other  words,  they  were  placed  therfc 
to  prevent  us  from  cutting  the  officers'  throats  with  clan* 
shells,  or  oyster  shells,  for  we  had  nothing  metallic  for  the 
purpose. 

When  we  saw  these  formidable  preparations,  and  reflect- 
ed on  our  own  helpless  condition,  without  any  means  of  of- 
fence, beside  our  teeth  and  nails,  we  could  not  but  despise 
eur  enemies  ;  and  we  did  not  omit  to  increase  their  ridicu- 
lous alarm,  by  whispering  together,  pointing  our  fingers 
sometimes  E.  and  sometimes  W.  and  sometimes  N.  and 
sometimes  S.  and  rubbing  our  hands  and  laughing,  and  af- 
fecting to  be  in  high  spirits.  The  conduct  of  the  agent  at 
Ihis  threatening  crisis  of  his  affairs,  did  not  diminish  our  con- 
tempt of  him.  He  would  often  mount  Ins  rostrum,  the  head 
of  the  stair-case,  to  address  us,  and  assure  us,  that  we  should 
soon  be  delivered  from  our  confinement,  ami  be  sent  home. 
He  said  that  he  did  not  expect  to  see  any  of  us  in  prison  six 
weeks  longer;  and  that  our  detention  was  then  only  owing 
to  some  delay  of  orders  from  admiral  Warren  ;  but  that  he 
expected  them  every  moment.  He  therefore  entreated  us 
to  remain  contented  and  quiet  a  little  longer,  aud  not  ob- 
struct the  kind  intentions  4hat  were  in  train  for  our  deliver- 
ance from  captivity  ;  and  he  assured  us,  upon  his  honour, 
that  every  thing  should  be  do,uej|gtig  power  to  expedite  our 
•return  home;  that  I  here  were  ttiKthree  cartels  getting 
ready  to  convey  us  u\vay.  In  tmHfcan  time  every  thing 
said  andJoneatflHRHB^PKi  us  satisfied  and  quiet. 


.,  *  ?      * 

*  T&vouackea-  iy  layir;  eating,  and  drinking  on  the  {Around 

-with  their  amis,  v/ithoul  tents,  or  any  covering,  and  is  only  volunta? 
fcarily  reported  to,  when  the  greatest  danger  is  apprehended, 


26  JOURNAL. 

While  the  agent  was  making:  h:s  declarations  of  frieud- 
ship,  and  protesting  upon  his  honour,  tl-  it  AV«-  should  be  sent 
home,  he  knew  full  well  that  the  gmu-  si  part  of  the  prison- 
ers were  to  be  sent  across  the  Atlantic,  to  suffer  the  punish- 
ment of  a  British  prison.  The  policy  of  the  English  gov- 
ernment was,  it  sffima,  to  discourage  the  enlistment  of  sol- 
diers into  our  service  by  sending  the  prisoners,  taken  on  the 
frontiers,  to  England.  They  meant  also  to  distress  us  by 
a«cumulating  our  seamen  in  their  prisons ;  and  this  they  im- 
agined would  disenable  us  from  manning  our  men  of  war,  or 
sending  out  privateers.  They  preferred  every  mode  of  dis- 
tressing us  to  that  of  fair  fighting;  for,  in  fair  fight  and  equal 
numbers,  we  have  always  beat  them  by  sen,  and  by  land. 

We  were  in  good  humor  and  high  spirits,  at  the  prospect 
of  leaving  our  loathsome  den,  and  once  more  returning  home 
our  mothers  and  fathers,  sisters  and  brothers,  and 
school-fellows,  and  the  old  jolly  companions  of  our  happy 
days.  We  smiled  upon  Mr.  Agent  Miller,  and  he  upon  us. 
We  greeted  our  turnkey,  the  now  and  then  sinooth  tongued 
Mr.  Grant,  with  a  good  morrow,  and  ell  feelings  of  hostility 
were  fast  subsiding;  and  one  told  him  that  lie  should  be 
very  glad  to  see  him  in  Boston;  another  said  be  should  be 
very  glad  to  see  him  in  Marblehead,  and  another  at  New- 
York,  and  Baltimore,  and  so  on. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  month  of  August,  and  after  Mr. 
Agent  Miller  and  the  military  had  taken  the  most  effectual 
method  to  provide  against  the  possibility  of  resistance  from 
the  prisoners,  reports  now  and  then  reached  us,  that  the  ex- 
pected exchange  was  unhappily  broken  off,  and  that  it  wa* 
the  fault  of  the  American  government.  These  things  were 
hinted  with  great  caution,  as  not  entitled  to  entire  credit ; 
the  next  day  it  was  said,  that  the  business  o£ exchange  was 
in  a  prosperous  train.  All  this  was  done  by  way  Of  feefing 
the  pulse  of  the  most  respectable  of  the  prisoners;  those 
most  likely  to  take  the  lead  in  an  insurrection.  We  cuuki 
easily  trace  all  these  different  stories  tg  the  cunning  Mr. 
Miller,  through  his  subordinate  agents. 

On  the  first  day  oi^lhfdrer,  1813,  an  hundred  of  us 
prisoners  were  selecteBpcin  different  crews,  and  ordered  to 
Set  our  baggage  read}  r»ml  be  at  the  patent  a  certain  hour, 
On  enquiring  of  our  1  :  i  wan  the  ij 

of  this  order,  he  replied  with  hfc  habitual  dupfltit 


joi  RNAL. 

were  "  to  be  sent  hotne"  "When  Mr.  Miller  was  aslicd  tli<* 
:.!icd,  that  he  had  a  particular  reason  for 
not  answering  the  question ;  hut  now:  of  UB  doubted,  from 
? he  selection  from  different  CP-WH,  hnt  (hat  we  were  about  t<» 
to  our  beloved  country  and  natal  homes.  \V  «•  If  ft 
Ihe  prison  with  li'j;ht  hearts,  not  without  pitying  our  com- 
prmiony,  v.ho  were  doomed  to  wait  a  while  longer  before 
rhcy  could  lie  mad**  HO  happy  as  we  then  felt.  We  stepped 
on  board  the  boats  with  smiling  countenances.  The  barge 
men  told  us  that  the  ships  we  were  going  to  wen  earl- 

I  laving  arrived  among  the  shipping,  the  officer  of  Ihe 
boat  \vns  asketl  \v)ii<;h  of  these  several  ships  was  the  cartel 
— "  Tlit-rc"  said  lie,  point.intr  to  an  old  ^14,  u  is  the  xhi/t 
n-'nn;h  is  to  lake  i/ou  Lo  old  England."  Heaven*  above! 
What  a  stroke  oflhuHtlcr  was  this  !  We  looked  at  each  oth- 
er with  horror,  with  dismay,  and  stupef.irtion,  before  our 
«lej)ress«l  souls  recoiled  willi  indignation  !  such  a  change  <»i 
.i;inee  I  never  beheld  !  Had  we  been  on  tli<-  d--ek  o[ 
rt  sbi|),  and  l>eeji  informed  that  a  match  was  just  about  be- 
ing touched  to  her  magazine  of  powder,  we  should  not  have 
exhibited  such  a  picture  of  paleness  and  dismay.  The  de- 
ception was  cruel ;  the  duplicity  was  infamous.  The  whole 
trick  from  beginning  to  end,  wan  an  instance-  of  cowardice, 
jueanw.s.s  and  villainy.  It  prov<&  that  cowards  are  cruel; 
Uial  barbarity  and  Hnccrity  never  meet  in  the  same  bosom. 

We  now  saw  that  the  rumor  of  our  rising  upon  our  keep- 
ers, and  marching  to  Halifax  was  ;t  miserable  falsehood, 
spread  abroad  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  double  our  guards, 
and  prevent  the  imagined  consequences  of  desperation, 
should  it  be  discovered  that  we  we're  to  be  s'-nt  across  the 
Atlantic.  It  is  possible  we  might  have  succec  (led  in  disarm- 
ing the  M>:<li<  !•.-,  .,n  the  island,  and  taken  their  cannon;  hufc 
lor  want  of  more  arms  we  could  have  done  but  little.  Had 
v\e  all  been  armed,  we  could  have  entered  Halifax,  and  put 
to  the  test  the  bravery  of  these  loyalists:  but  an  unarmed 
multitude  arc  nothing  before  an  eighth  part  of  their  num- 
ber of  regular  soldiers.  ;Mi!ii-..-\  nn  n  in  Halifax,  could  nev- 
er liave  had  a  moment'.-*  serious  appr-huision  from  Die  pris- 

ieUilh;  hluud.      It  is  my  fjim  O])inion,  ho- 

that    bad    v,e    be«n    ap;»jr/«-d    of  our   cruel    «'«  Hination,  we 

en  upon  Ihe  boi  cape, 

•  •  "i-ly.      H<  nl   desperation    have 

done  wontte;  and  botli  would  have  steeled   the  heart  and 


28  J«lfRNAL. 

nerved  the  arm  of  our  little  band  of  sufferers.  Had  we  not 
been  beguiled  with  the  lies  of  the  agent  and  his  turnkey, 
we  should  have  given  our  enemies  a  fresh  proof  of  Ameri- 
can bravery,  if  not  imprudence.  Had  Miller  been  on  board 
the  boat  with  us,  we  should  most  certainly  have  thrown 
him  overboard.  His  base  and  dishonourable  artifice,  first 
to  raise  our  hopes  and  expectations  to  the  height  of  joy, 
and  then  to  sink  us  in  despair,  was  an  infamous  deed,  wor- 
thy such  a  reward.  Speaking  for  myself,  I  declare,  that  my 
heart  sunk  within  me,  and  I  came  near  fainting,  and  it  was 
some  time  before  tears  came  to  my  relief;  then  in  a  burst 
of  indignation,  I  cursed  the  perfidious  enemy,  and  felt  i»y 
soul  wound  up  to  deeds  of  desperation. 


CHAPTER  II. 

HAD  the  agent  informed  us  of  the  orders  of  his  govern- 
ment, and  made  us  acquainted  with  our  destination,  we 
should  have  braced  our  minds  up  to  the  occasion,  and  sub- 
mitted to  our  hard  fate  like  men.  We  should  have  said  to 
each  other  in  the  language  of  S  hakespeare — "  if  these  things 
be  necessities,  leCs  meet  them  like  necessities  ;"  but  to  be  de- 
ceived and  duped,  and  cajoled  into  a  state  of  great  joy  and 
exultation,  and  then,  in  an  instant,  precipitated  into  the 
dark  and  cold  regions  of  despair,  was  barbarous  beyond  ex- 
pression. As  much  resentment  as  I  feel  towards  Miller 
and  his  subalterns,  I  cannot  wish  either  of  them  to  sutler 
the  pangs  I  felt  at  the  idea  of  this  floating  dungeon. 

The  .late  Governor  GERRY,  in  one  of  his  communica- 
tions to  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts,  when  speaking  of 
thft  impressment  and  ill  usage  of  our  seamen  by  the  Eng- 
lish, calls  a  British  man-of-war  " a  floating  Pandemonium" 
I  never  felt  the  force  of  that  expression  until  I  entered  on 
board  this  floating  hell. 

After  some  difficulty  and  delay  we  got  ourselves  and  bed- 
ding up  the  side  of  the  ship.;  and  as  our  names  were  called 
over,  our  bedding  was  served  out  to  us.      We  inform*  8-th 
officer  that  there  were  but  seventy  blankets  for  an  hundred 
men ;  to  which  he  replied,  that  he  bad  orders  to  servo  enl 


JOURNAL.  29 

blankets  in  the  same  proportion  as  they  served  out  our  pro- 
visions. To  understand  this,  the  reader  must  know  that 
the  British  have  been  in  the  habit,  all  the  Avar,  of  giving  to 
their  prisoners  a  less  quantity  of  food  than  to  their  own 
men.  They  uniformly  gave  to  six  of  us  the  same  quantity 
which  they  gave  iofour  of  their  own  sailors.  If  what  they 
allowed  to  their  own  men  was  barely  sufficient,  what  they 
gave  to  us  could  not  be  enough  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of 
hunger ;  and  this  wre  all  found  to  be  the  case. 

The  crew  of  the  man  of  war  sleep  on  the  deck  which  is 
next  under  the  gun  deck,  while  our  destination  was  on  the 
deck  under  that.  It  was  to  the  ship  what  the  cellar  is  to  a 
house.  It  was  under  water,  and  of  course,  without  win- 
dows, or  air  holes.  All  the  air  and  light  came  through  the 
hatch  way,  a  sort  of  trap  door  or  cellar  way.  In  this  float- 
ing dungeon,  we  miserable  young  men  spent  our  first  night, 
in  sleepless  anguish,  embittered  with  the  apprehension  of 
our  suffering  cruel  death  by  suffocation.  Here  the  black 
hole  of  Calcutta  rose  to  my  view  in  all  its  horrors ;  arid  the 
very  thought  stopped  my  respiration,  and  set  my  brain  on 
fire.  In  my  distress,  I  stamped  with  my  feet,  and  beat  my 
head  against  the  side  of  the  ship  in  the  madness  of  despair. 
I  measured  the  misery  of  those  around  me  by  what  I  my- 
self suffered.  Shut  up  in  the  dark  with  ninety-nine  dis- 
tressed young  men,  like  so  man}'-  galley  slaves,  or  Guinea 
negroes,  excluded  from  the  benefit  of  the  common  air,  with- 
out one  ray  of  light  or  comfort,  and  without  a  single  word 
expressive  of  compassion  from  any  officer  of  the  ship.  I 
never  was  so  near  sinking  into  despair.  We  naturally  cling 
to  life,  but  now  I  should  have  welcomed  death.  To  be 
confined,  and  even  chained  any  where  in  the  light  of  the 
sun,  is  a  distressing  thing,  especially  to  very  young  men, 
but  to  be  crowded  into  a  dirty  hole  in  the  dark,  where  there 
was  no  circulation  of  air  is  beyond  expression  horrible.  Per- 
haps my  study  of  the  human  frame,  and  my  knowledge  of 
the  vital  property  of  the  air,  and  of  the  philosophy  of  the 
vital  functions,  may  have  added  to  my  distress.  I  remem- 
bered what  I  had  read  and  learnt  in  the  course  of  my  edu- 
cation, viz  :  that  every  full  grown  person  requires  forty-eight 
thousand  cubic  inches  of  aft  in  an  hour,  or  one  million,  one 
hundred  and  fifty-two  thousand  cubic  inches  in  the  cowrse  of 
a  day ;  and  that  if  this  is  once  received  into  the  lungs  and 
breathed  out  again,  it  cannot  be  breathed  a  second  time,  till 
3 


30  JOURNAL. 

it  is  mixed  with  the  common  atmospheric  air.  When  I  con- 
sidered that  our  number  amounted  to  an  hundred,  I  could 
not  drive  from  my  mind  this  calculation,  and  the  result  of  it 
nearly  deprived  me  of  my  reason.  The  horrors  of  the  Black 
Hole  of  Calcutta  have  been  long  celebrated,  because  English- 
men suffered  and  perished  in  it.  Now  the  English  Kive'more 
than  a  thousand  black  holes  into  which  they  unfeelingly 
thrust  their  impressed  men,  and  their  prisoners  of  war, 
Their  tenders  that  lay  in  the  Thames,  off  Tower- wharf,  are 
so  many  black  holes  into  which  they  thrust  their  own  peo- 
ple, whom  their  press  gangs  seize  in  the  streets  of  London, 
and  crowd  into  them  like  so  many  live  rabbits  or  chickens 
carrying  in  a  cart  to  market.  My  reflections  on  these  things 
have  greatly  changed  my  opinion  of  the  English  character 
in  point  of  humanity. 

After  passing  a  wretched  night,  one  of  the  petty  officers 
came  down>to  us,  by  which  event  we  learnt  that  it  was 
morning.  I  found  myself  much  indisposed ;  my  tongue  was 
dry  and  coated  with  a  furr;  my  head  ached  violently,  and 
I  felt  no  inclination  to  take  any  thing  but  cold  wrater.  A 
degree  of  calmness,  however,  prevailed  among  my  fellow 
prisoners.  They  found  lamentations  unavailing,  and  com- 
plaints useless.  Few  of  them,  beside  myself,  had  lost  their 
appetites,  and  several  expressed  a  wish  for  some  breakfast. 
Preparations  were  soon  made  for  this  delicious  repast.  The 
first  step  was  to  divide  us  into  messes,  six  in  a  mess.  To 
each  mess  was  given  a  wooden  kid,  or  piggin,  as  our  form- 
ers call  them,  because  it  is  out  of  such  wooden  vessels  that 
they  feed  their  pigs  that  are  fatting  for  the  market.  At  8 
o'clock  one  was  called  from  each  mess,  by  the  whistle  of 
the  boatswain's  mate,  to  attend  at  the  galley,  the  nautical 
name  for  the  kitchen  and  fire  place,  to  receive  the  break- 
fast for  the  rest.  But  what  was  our  disappointment  to  find 
instead  of  cofTee,  which  we  were  allowed  by  our  own  gov- 
ernment at  Melville  prison,  a  piggin  of  srviil,  for  we  farm- 
ers' sons  can  give  no  other  name  to  the  disgusting  mess  they 
brought  us.  This  breakfast  was  a  pint  of  liquid  which  they 
call  Burgoo,  which  is  a  kind  of  oatmeal  gruel,  about  the 
consistence  of  the  swill  which  our  farmers  give  their  hogs, 
and  not  a  whit  better  in  its  quality.  It  is  made  of  oatmeal, 
which  we  Americans  very  generally  detest.  Our  people 
consider  ground  oats  as  only  fit  for  cattle,  and  it  is  never 
eaten  by  the  human  species  in  the  United  States.  It  is 


JOURNAL.  31 

Said  that  this  oatmeal  porridge  was  introduced  to  the  Brit- 
ish prisons  by  the  Scotch  influence,  and  \ve  think  that  none 
but  hogs  and  Scotchmen  ought  to  eat  it.  A  mess  more  re- 
pellant  to  a  Yankee's  stomach  could  not  well  be  contrived. 
It  is  said,  however,  that  the  high  landers  are  very  fond  of  it, 
and  that  the  Scotch  physicians  extol  it  as  a  very  wholesome 
and  nutritious  food,  and  very  nicely  calculated  for  the  se- 
dentary life  of  a  prisoner:  but  by  what  we  have  heard,  we 
are  led  to  believe,  that  oatmeal  is  the  staple  commodity  of 
Scotland,  and  that  the  highly  favoured  Scotch  have  the  ex- 
clusive privilege  of  supplying  the  miserable  creatures  whom 
the  fortune  of  war  has  thrown  into  the  hands  of  the  English, 
with  this  national  dish,  so  delicious  to  Scotchmen,  and  so 
abhorrent  to  an  American. 

Excepting  this  pint  of  oatmeal  porridge,  we  had  nothing 
more  to  eat  or  drink  until  dinner  time;  when  we  were 
served  with  a  pint  of  pca-tvater.  Our  allowance  for  the 
week,  for  it  is  difficult  to  calculate  it  by  the  day,  was  four 
and  a  half  pounds  of  bread,  two  and  a  quarter  pounds  of  beef 
or  pork,  one  and  a  quarter  pounds  of  flour,  and  the  pea- 
water,  which  they  called  "  soup"  five  diiys  in  every  week. 
Now  let  any  man  of  knowledge  and  observation  judge, 
whether  the  portion  of  food  here  allotted  to  each  man  was 
sufficient  to  preserve  him  from  the  exquisite  tortures  of  hun- 
ger; and  perhaps  there  is  no  torture  more  intolerable  to 
young  men  not  yet  arrived  to  their  full  growth.  We  had 
been  guilty  of  no  crime.  We  had  been  engaged  in  the  ser- 
vice of  our  dear  country,  and  deserved  applause,  and  not 
torture.  And  be  it  forever  remembered,  that  the  Ameri- 
cans always  feed  their  prisoners  well,  and  treat  them  with 
humanity. 

The  Regulus,  for  that  is  the  name  of  the  ship  we  were  in, 
is,  if  I  mistake  not,  an  old  line  of  battle  ship,  armed  en  flute, 
that  is,  her  lower  deck  was  fitted  up  with  bunks,  or  births, 
so  large  as  to  contain  six  men  in  a  birth.  The  only  pas- 
sages for  light  or  air  were  through  the  main  and  fore  hatch- 
es, which  were  covered  with  a  grating,  at  which  stood,  day 
and  night,  a  sentinel.  The  communication  between  our 
dungeon  and  the  upper  deck  was  only  through  the  rnaiti 
hatch  way,  by  means  of  a  rope  ladder,  that  could  be  easily 
cut  away  at  a  moment's  warning,  should  the  half  starved 
American  prisoners  ever  conclude  to  rise  and  take  the  ship, 
which  the  brave  British  tars  seemed  eonstantly  apprehen- 


32  JOURNAL. 

sive  of.  You  may  judge  of  their  apprehensions  by  their 
extraordinary  precautions — they 'had  a  large  store  of  niua- 
kets  in  their  tops  to  be  ready  for  their  marines  and  crew, 
should  we  Yankees  drive  them  from  the  hull  to  seek  safety 
above.  They  had  two  carronades  loaded  with  grape  and 
canister  shot  on  the  poop,  pointing  forward,  with  a  man  at 
each  ;  and  strict  orders  were  given  not  to  hold  any  conver- 
sation with  the  Americans,  under  the  penalty  of  the  severest 
chastisement.  However  improbable  the  thing  may  appear, 
we  discussed  the  matter  very  seriously  and  repeatedly 
among  ourselves,  and  compared  the  observations  we  made 
when  on  deck,  in  our  council  chamber  under  water.  It 
seems  that  the  British  are  apprized  of  the  daring  spirit  of  the 
Americans  ;  they  watch  them  with  as  much  dread  as  if  they 
were  so  many  tigers. 

Just  before  we  sailed,  our  old  friend,  Mr.  Miller,  came 
on  board,  and  we  were  all  called  upon  deck  to  hear  his  last 
speech,  and  receive  his  blessing.  We  conceited  that 
lie  looked  ashamed,  and  felt  embarrassed.  It  is  probable 
that  (he  consciousness  of  having  told  us  things  that  were  not 
true,  disconcerted  him.  He,  however,  in  a  milder  manner 
and  voice  than  usual,  told  us  that  we  were  going  to  England 
to  be  exchanged,  while  there  were  some  in  another  ship  go- 
ing to  England  to  be  hanged.  Beside  this  enviable  differ- 
ence in  our  situation,  compared  with  those  traitorous  Irish- 
men, who  had  been  fighting  against  their  king  and  country, 
we  were  very  fortunate  in  being  the  first  selected  to  go,  as 
\ve  should  of  course,  be  the  first  to  be  exchanged  and  sent 
home.  He  told  us  that  he  thought  it  probable,  that  we 
should  be  sent  home  again  before  spring,  or  at  farthest  in 
the  spring ;  he  therefore  exhorted  us  to  be  good  boys  during 
the  passage,  and  behave  well,  and  obey  orders,  and  that 
would  ensure  us  kind  and  humane  treatment ;  but  that  if 
we  were  mutinous,  or  attempted  to  resist  the  authority  of 
the  officers,  our  treatment  would  be  less  kind,  and  we  should 
lose  our  turn  in  the  course  of  exchange,  and  that  our  com- 
fort and  happiness  depended  entirely  on  our  own  submissive 
behaviour.  He  every  now  and  then  gave  force  to  his  as- 
sertions, by  pledging  his  lionor\  that  what  he  said  was  true, 
and  no  deception. 

As  this  was  probably  the  last  time  we  should  have  an  op- 
portunity of  a  personal  communication  with  Mr.  Agent  .IVIil- 
Jer,  we  represented  to  him,  that  there  were  several  of  jtbr 


J0VRNAL.  33 

prisoners  destitute  of  comfortable  clothing ;  that  the  clothes 
of  some  were  not  even  decent  to  cover  those  parts  of  the 
body  that  even  our  savage  Indians  conceal,  and  he  promis- 
ed to  accommodate  them  :  but  we  never  heard  any  more  of 
him  or  the  clothing.  However  it  may  be  accounted  for, 
we  saw  this  man  part  from  us  with  regret.  It  semed  to  be 
losing  an  old  acquaintance,  while  we  were  going  we  knew 
not  where — to  meet  we  knew  not  what. 

Previous  to  our  sailing  we  had  applied  to  Mr.  Miicliell^ 
the  American  agent,  for  a  supply  of  clothing;  but  from  some 
cause  or  other,  he  did  not  relieve  the  wants  of  our  suffering 
companions.  Mr.  Mitchell  may  be  a  very  good  man ;  but 
every  good  man  is  not  tit  for  every  station.  We  had  rather 
see  old  age,  or  decrepitude,  pensioned  by  the  government 
\ve  support,  than  employed  in  stations  that  require  high 
health  and  activity.  Disease  and  infirmity  may  check,  or 
impede  the  benevolent  views  of  our  government,  and  cast 
an  odium  on  the  officers  of  administration.  After  all,  we 
may  find  fault  where  we  ought  to  praise.  It  is  possible 
that  we  may  not  have  made  due  allowance  for  Mr.  Miller, 
the  British  agent,  and  we  may  sometimes  have  denounced 
him  in  terms  of  bitterness,  when  he  did  not  deserve  it.  Hi» 
general  conduct,  however,  we  could  not  mistake. 

On  the  third  of  September,  1813,  we  sailed  from  Halifax 
in  company  with  the  Melpomene^  a  man  of  war  transport, 
armed  en  flute.  On  board  this  ship  were  a  number  of  Irish- 
men, who  had  enlisted  in  our  regiments,  and  were  captured 
in  Upper  Canada,  fighting  under  the  colours  of  the  United 
States  of  America  !  or,  in  the  language  of  the  English  gov- 
ernment, found  fighting  against  their  king  and  country. 
The  condition  of  these  Irishmen  was  truly  pitiable.  Una- 
ble to  live  in  their  own  oppressed  country,  they,  in  imita- 
tion of  our  fore-fathers,  left  their  native  laud  to  enjoy  the 
liberty,  and  the  fruits  of  their  labor  in  another.  They 
abandoned  Ireland,  where  they  were  oppressed,  and  chose 
this  country,  where  they  were  protected  and  kindly  treated. 
Many  of  them  had  married  in  America,  and  considered  it 
their  home.  Here  they  chose  to  live,  and  here  they  wish- 
ed to  die.  As  few  of  them  had  trades,  they  got  their  living 
as  laborers,  or  as  seamen.  The  embargoes  aad  the  war 
threw  them  out  of  business,  ami  many  of  them  enlisted  in 
our  army  ;  that  is,  in  the  army  of  the  country  which  they 
had  chosen,  and  had  a  right  to  choose.  Their  consciences 

a* 


forbade  them  not  to  fight  for  us  against  the  English  and 
their  allies  the  Indians.  In  their  eyes,  and  in  the  eye  of 
our  laws,  no  imputation  of  crime  could  be  attached  to  their 
conduct  ;  yet  were  these  men  seized  from  among  other  pris- 
oners, taken  in  battle,  and  sent  together  in  one  ship,  as  trai- 
tors and  rebels  to  their  country.  We  fled  from  our  native 
land,  said  these  unfortunate  men,  to  avoid  the  tyranny  and 
oppression  of  our  British  taskmasters,  and  the  same  tyran- 
nical hand  has  seized  us  here,  and  sent  us  back  to  be  tried, 
and  perhaps  executed  as  rebels.  Beside  the  privations, 
hunger  and  miseries  that  we  endured,  these  poor  Irishmen 
had  before  their  eyes,  the  apprehension  of  a  violent  and  ig- 
nominious death.  While  we  talked  among  ourselves  of  the 
hard  fate  of  these  brave  Hibernians,  we  were  ashamed  to 
lament  our  own. 

I  cannot  help  remarking  here,  that  the  plan  of  retaliation 
determined  by  President  Madison,  merits  the  respect  and 
gratitude  of  the  present  and  future  generations  of  men.  It 
was  this  energetic  step  that  saved  the  lives,  and  insured  the 
'usual  treatment  of  ordinary  prisoners  of  war  to  these  Ameri- 
can soldiers  of  Irish  birth.  This  firm  determination  of  the 
American  executive  arrested  the  bloody  hand  of  the  British. 
They  remembered  Major  Andre,  and  they  recollected  Sir 
James  Asgill,  under  the  administration  of  the  great  WASH- 
INGTON, and  they  trembled  for  the  fate  of  their  own  officers. 
IV!  ay  eternal  blessings  here,  and  hereafter,  be  the  reward  of 
MADISON,  for  his  righteous  intention  of  retaliating  on  the  ene- 
my any  public  punishment  that  should  be  executed  on  these 
American  soldiers,  of  Irish  origin.  While  we  feel  gral'i- 
tutle  and  respect  to  the  head  of  the  nation  for  his  scheme 
of  retaliation,  we  cannot  suppress  our  feelings  of  disgust  to- 
wards the  faction  in  our  own  country,  who  justified  the  Brit- 
ish government  in  their  conduct  towards  these  few  Irishmen, 
and  condemned  our  own  for  protecting  them  from  an  igno- 
minious death.  I  speak  it  with  shame  for  my  country  —  the 
ablest  writers  of  the  oppositionists,  and  the  oldest  and  most 
celebrated  ministers  of  religion,  employed  their  venal  pens 
and  voices  to  condemn  Mr.  Madison,  and  to  justify  the  Brit- 
ish doctrine.  This  is  a  deep  stain  on  the  character  of  our 
clergy;  and  the  subsequent  conduct  of  the  British,  may 
serve  to  shew  these  ever  meddling  men,  that  our  eiicmk.s 
despised  them,  and  respected  Madison-* 


-HX'MNAL.  35 

Our  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  afforded  but  few  incidents 
Cor  remark.  Every  day  brought  the  sume  distressed  sensa- 
tions, and  every  night  the  same  doleful  feelings,  arising 
from  darkness,  stench,  increased  debility  and  disease.  The 
general  and  most  distressing  in  the  catalogue  of  our  miseries 
was  the  almost  unceasing  torment  of  hunger.  Many  of  us 
would  have  gladly  partaken  with  our  father's  hogs,  in  their 
hog-troughs.  This  barbarous  system  of  starvation  reduced 
several  of  our  hale  and  hearty  young  men  to  mere  skeletons. 
What  with  the  allowance  of  the  enemy,  and  the  allowance 
from  our  own  government,  in  which  was  good  hot  coffee  for 
breakfast,  we  were  generally  robust  and  hearty  at  Melville 
Island.  Some  of  our  companions  might  well  be  called  fine 
looking  fellows,  when  we  came  tirst  on  board  the  Regulus; 
but  before  we  arrived  on  the  coast  of  England,  they  were  so 
reduced  and  weakened,  that  they  tottered  as  they  walked. 
It  was  the  opinion  of  us  all,  that  one  young  man  absolutely 
tiied  for  want  of  sufficient  food  !  Yes  !  Christian  reader,  a 
young  American,  who  was  carried  on  board  the  Regulus 
man  of  war  transport,  perished  for  want  of  sufficient  to  eat. 
I  si  this  insufficiency  of  food,  complaint  was  made  to  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Regulus.  but  it  produced  no  increase  of  the  scanty 
allowance;  and  had  the  common  sailors* possessed  no  more 
humanity  than  their  officers,  we  migfnrall  have  perished 
with  hunger.  You  who  never  felt  the  agonizing  torture  of 
hunger  can  have  no  idea  of  our  misery.  The  study  of  my 
profession  had  acquainted  me,  that  when  the  stomach  is 
empty  and  contracted  to  a  certain  degree,  that  it,  in  a  mea- 
sure, acts  upon  itself,  and  draws  all  the  neighbouring  organs 
into  sympathy  with  its  distress :  this  increases  to  an  agony 
that  ends  in  distraction;  for  it  is  well  known  that  those  who 
are  starved  to  death,  die  raving  distracted!  Some  of  us  in 
the  course  of  this  horrid  voyage  could  have  eaten  a  puppy 
erkitte,1;,  could  we  have  laid  hands  upon  either. 

The  manner  in  which  the  English  generally  treat  their 
poor  in  their  work-houses,  in  England,  is  infinitely  worse 
than  the  treatment  cf  our  convicts  in  our  state  prisons. 
There  are  no  very  heavy  chains,  huge  blocks,  or  iron  staun- 
eheons  in  our  prisons,  as  there  are  in  the  receptacles  of  the 
poor  in  England.  We  treat  them  with  tenderness,  as  unfor- 
tunate fellow  creatures,  and  not  with  harshness,  ;;s  criminals. 

Our  constitutions,  mind  and  body  united,  were  so  con- 
stantly impressed  and  worried  with  the  desire  of  eating,  that 


I 


30  JOURNAL. 

the  torment  followed  us  in  our  sleep.  We  were  constantly 
dreaming  of  tables  finely  spread  with  a  plenty  ,;f  us  I  those 
good  and  savoury  things  with  which  we  used  to  be  regaled 
at  home,  when  we  would  wake  smacking  our  lis)s,  and  groan- 
ing with  disappointment.  I  pretend  not  to  say  that  the  al- 
lowance was  insufficient  to  keep  some  men  pretty  comforta- 
ble; but  it  was  not  half  enough  for  some  others.  It  is  well 
known  in  common  life,  that  one  man  will  eat  three  times  as 
much  as  another.  The  quality  of  the  bread  served  out  to  us 
on  board  the  Regulus,  was  not  fit  and  proper  for  any  human 
being.  It  was  old,  and  more  like  the  powder  of  rotten  wood 
than  bread  stuff;  and  to  crown  all,  it  was  full  of  worms. 
Often  have  I  seen  our  poor  fellows  viewing  their  daily  al- 
lowance of  bread,  with  mixed  sensations  of  pain  and  plea- 
sure; with  smiles  and  tears;  not  being  able  to  determine 
whether  they  had  best  eat  it  all  up  at  once,  or  eat  it  in  small 
portions  through  the  day.  Some  would  devour  all  their 
bread  at  once,  worms  and  all,  while  others  would  be  eating 
small  portions  through  the  day.  Some  picked  out  the  worms 
and  threw  them  away ;  others  eat  them,  saying,  that  they 
might  as  well  eat  the  worm  as  his  habitation.  Some 
reasoned  and  debated  a  long  time  on  the  subject.  Prejudice 
said,  throw  the  njsty  Jhing  away,  while  knawing  hunger 
held  his  hand.  Birds,  said  they,  are  nourished  by  eating 
worms ;  and  if  clean  birds  eat  them,  why  may  not  man  ? 
Who  feels  any  reluctance  at  eating  of  an  oysier,  with  all  its 
parts :  and  why  not  a  worm  ? 

One  day  while  we  were  debating  the  subject,  one  of  our 
jack  tars  set  us  a  laughing,  by  crying  out:  "  Retaliation,  by 
G — ,  these  d — d  worms  eat  us  when  we  are  dead,  and  so  we 
will  eat  them  first"  This  shews  that  misery  can  sometimes 
laugh.  I  have  observed  that  a  sailor  has  generally  more 
laughter  and  good  humour  in  him  than  is  to  be  found  among 
any  other  class  of  men:  They  have,  beside,  a  greater  share 
of  compassion  than  the  soldier.  We  had  repeated  instances 
of  their  generosity :  for  while  the  epauletted  officers  of  this 
British  ship  treated  us  like  brutes,  the  common  sailors  would 
now  and  then  give  us  of  their  own  allowance ;  but  they  took 
care  not  to  let  their  officers  know  it. 

The  Regulus  had  brought  British  soldiers  to  America, 
and  among  the  rags  and  filth  left  behind  them  were  myriads 
of  fleas.  These  were  at  first  a  source  of  vexation,  but  at 
length  their  destruction  became  an  amusement.  We 


JOURNAL.  37 

could  not,  however,  overcome  them;  like  the  persecuted 
Christians  of  old  times,  when  you  killed  one,  twenty  vvouid 
seem  to  rise  up  in  his  place.  Had  I  have  known  wsiat  I 
have  since  learnt,  and  had  been  provided  with  the  essential 
oil  of  pennyroyal,  we  should  have  conquered  all  thess  light 
troops  in  a  few  days.  A  few  drops  of  this  essential  oil, 
dropped  here  and  there  upon  the  blankets  infested  with  fleas, 
and  they  will  abandon  the  garment.  The  effluvium  of  it  des- 
troys them. 

Confined  below,  we  knew  little  of  what  was  going  on 
upon  deck;  some  of  us,  however,  were  more  or  less  there 
every  day.  Nothing  occurred  worthy  of  notice  tluring  our 
passage  to  England,  excepting  the  retaking  of  a  brig  cap- 
tured a  few  hours  before  on  the  Grand  Bank,  by  the  frigate 
President,  commodore  Rodgers.  From  information  obtain- 
ed frorh  the  midshipman  who  commanded  the  prize,  we 
learnt  the  course  of  the  President,  whereupon  we  altered 
ours  to  avoid  being  captured.  A  few  hours  after  this  we  fell 
in  with  the  BeUerophon,  a  British  seventy-four,  who  went, 
from  our  information,  in  pursuit  of  the  President.  We  could 
easily  perceive  that  the  fame  of  our  frigates  had  inspired 
these  masters  of  the  ocean  with  a  degree  of  respect  border- 
ing on  dread.  We  overheard  the  sailors  say  that  they  had 
rather  fall  in  with  two  French  frigates  than  one  American. 
We  thought,  or  it  might  be  conceit,  that  we  were  spoken  to 
with  more  kindness  at  this  time.  I  have  certainly  hud  oc- 
casion for  remarking,  that  prosperity  increases  the  insults 
and  hard  hear  ted  ness  of  the  British ;  and  that  we  never  re- 
ceived so  much  humane  Attention  as  when  they  apprti.cnd- 
ed  an  attack  from  us,  as  in  the  case  of  alarm  at  Halifax.  I 
am  more  and  more  convinced  that  cowardice  is  the  mother 
of  cruelty.  Were  I  to  draw  the  picture  of  cruelty,  1  would 
paint  him  with  a  feminine  faintness.  The  free  and  horri- 
ble use  of  iheJialter  in  London,  is  from  fear.  I  was  brought 
up,  all  my  life,  even  until  I  left  my  father's  house,  and  came 
off  without  calculation,  or  reflection  on  this  wild  adventure 
in  a  privateer,  in  the  opinion  that  the  English  were  an  hu- 
mane, generous,  and  magnanimous  people,  and  that  none 
but  Turks,  Frenchmen,  and  Algerines,  were  cruel;  but  rny 
experience  for  three  years  past  has  corrected  my  false  no- 
notions  of  this  proud  nation.  If  they  do  not  impale  men  as 
the  Algerines  and  Turks  d®,  or  roast  a  man  as  the  Indians 
•I  HB  the  Inquisitors  do,  they  will  leave  him  to  starve, 


38  JOURNAL. 

and  linger  out  his  miserable  days  in  the  hole  of  a  ship,  or  in 
a  prison,  where  the  blessed  air  is  changed  into  a  poison,  and 
where  the  articles  given  him  to  eat  are  far  worse  in  quality 
than  the  swill  with  which  the  American  farmer  feeds  his 
hogs.  How  can  an  officer,  how  can  any  man,  holding  in 
society  the  rank  of  a  gentleman,  sit  down  to  his  meal  in  his 
cabin,  when  he  has  a  hundred  of  his  fellow  creatures,  some 
of  them  brought  up  with  delicacy  and  refinement,  and  with 
the  feelings  of  gentlemen :  I  say,  how  can  he  sit  composedly 
down  to  his  dinner,  while  men,  as  good  as  himself,  are  suffer- 
ing for  want  of  food.  There  is  in  this  conduct  either  a  bold 
cruelty,  or  a  stupidity  and  want  of  reflection,  that  does  no 
honour  to  that  officer,  or  to  those  who  gave  him  his  com- 
mand. 

It  happened  when  some  of  us  were  allowed  in  our  turn  to 
be  on  deck,  that  we  would  lay  hold  and  pull  or  belay  a  rope 
when  needed.  When  wre  arrived  at  Portsmouth,  which  was 
the  5th  of  October,  we  were  visited  by  the  health  officer; 
and  when  we  again  weighed  anchor  to  go  to  the  quarantine 
ground,  the  boatswain's  mate  came  to  tell  us  that  it  was  the 
captain's  order  that  we  should  tumble  up  and  assist  at  the 
capstan.  Accordingly  three  or  four  went  to  assist ;  but  one 
of  our  veteran  tars  bid  him  go  and  tell  his  captain  that  hun- 
ger and  labour  were  not  friends,  and  never  wrould  go  togeth- 
er; and  that  prisoners  who  subsisted  three  days  in  a  week 
©n  pea-water,  could  only  give  him  pea-water  assistance. 
This  speech  raised  the  temper  of  the  officer  of  the  deck, 
who  sent  down  some  marines,  who  drove  us  all  up.  There 
was  t*mong  us  a  Dutchman,  who  was  very  forward  in  com- 
plying with  the  officers'  request ;  but  being  awkward  and 
careless  withall,  he  suffered  himself  to  be  jambed  between 
the  end  of  the  capstan-bar  and  the  side  of  the  ship,  which 
hurt  him  badly.  Some  of  the  prisoners  collected  round 
their  wounded  companion,  when  the  officer  of  the  deck  or- 
dered them  to  take  the  d — d  blunderheaded  fellow  below,  and 
let  some  American  take  his  place ;  but  after  this  expression  of 
brutality  towards  the  poor  jambed  up  Dutchman,  not  a  man 
would  go  near  the  capstan,  so  one  of  their  own  crew  filled 
up  the  vacancy  made  by  the  wounded  Hollander. 

A  Mr.  S ,  who  had  some  office  of  distinction  in  New- 
foundland, if  I  mistake  not  he  was  the  first  in  command  of 
that  dreary  island.  This  gentleman,  who  I  think  they  called 
general  Smith,  was  passenger  on  board  the  Reguius.  One 


JOURNAL.  39 

cJay  when  I  was  upon  deck,  he  asked  me  how  many  of  the 
hundred  prisoners  could  read  and  write.  I  told  him  that  it 
was  a  rare  thing  to  find  a  person,  male  or  female,  in  New- 
England,  who  could  not  write  as  well  as  read.  Then,  said 
he,  New  England  must  be  covered  with  charity  schools. — 
I  replied,  that  we  had  no  charity  schools,  or  very  few;  at 
which  he  looked  as  if  he  thought  1  had  ctteredan  absurdity. 
I  then  related  in  a  fe\v  words  our  school  system.  I  told 
him,  that  the  primary  condition  or  stipulation  in  the  incor- 
poration of  every  town  in  Massachusetts,  and  which  was  a 
"sine  qua  non"  of  every  town,  \uis  a  reserve  of  land,  and  a 
bond  to  maintain  a  school  or  schools,  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  inhabitants ;  that  the  teachers  were  supported  by  a  tax, 
in  the  same  way  as  we  supported  our  clergy ;  that  such 
schools  were  opened  to  every  child,  from  the  children  of  the 
first  magistrate  down  to  the  children  of  the  constable ;  and 
that  there  was  no  distinction,  promotion  or  favour,  but  what 
arose  from  talent,  industry  and  good  behaviour.  1  told  him 
that  the  children  of  the  poorest  people,  generally  went  to 
school  in  the  winter,  while  in  the  spring  and  summer  they 
assisted  their  parents. 

He  walked  about  musing  awhile,  and  then  turning  back, 
afeked  me  if  the  clergy  did  not  devote  much  of  their  time  to 
the  instruction  of  our  youth — very  seldom,  sir — our  young 
students  of  divinity,  and  theological  candidates  very  often 
instruct  youth ;  but  when  a  gentleman  is  once  ordained  and 
settled  as  a  parish  minister,  he  never  or  very  rarely  keeps  a 
school.  At  which  the  general  appeared  surprised.  I  added 
that  sometimes  episcopal  clergymen  kept  a  school,  but  never 
the  presbyterian,  or  congregational  ministers.  He  asked 
why  the  latter  could  not  keep  school  as  well  as  the  former; 
I  told  him,  because  they  were  expected  to  write  their  owa 
sermons,  at  which  he  laughed.  Besides,  parochal  visits  con- 
sume much  of  their  time,  and  when  a  congregation  have 
stipulated  with  a  minister  to  fill  the  pulpit,  and  preach  two 
sermons  a  week,  visit  the  sick  and  attend  funerals,  they 
think  he  can  have  not  too  much  time  for  composing  sermons. 
They  moreover  consider  it  derogatory  to  the  honor  of  his 
flock  to  be  obliged  to  keep  a  school — when  1  told  him  that 
our  clergymen  bent  all  their  force  to  instructing  youth  in  mr- 
rality  and  religion,  he  said,  then  they  attempt  to  raise  a 
structure  before  they  lay  a  foundation  for  it.  F!e  seemed 
very  strenuous  that  our  priests  should  be  employed  i«.  t|ie 


40  JOURNAL. 

education  of  youth,  as  he  conceived  that  hired  school  mas- 
ters had  not  the  ^ioLs  zt<«l  that  the  priest  would  have.  I 
suspect  Said  General  S.  that  your  ministers  are  too  proud 
and  too  lazy.  I  perceived  his  idea  was,  that  a  school  mas- 
ter, hired  to  undergo  the  druggery  of  teaching  hoys,  \vas  too 
much  of  an  hireling  to  till  u;>  to  the  full  the  important  duties 
of  a  teacher  ;  but  he  judged  of  them  by  the  numerous  Scotch 
school  masters  here  and  there  in  Canada,  Nova  Scotia,  the 
"W  est  India  islands  and  every  where  else,  teaching  for  money 
merely.  He  did  not  know  that  our  New  England  school  mas- 
te'-s  were  men  of  character,  and  consequence.  Some  of  our 
very  first  men  in  these  United  States,  have  been  teachers  of 
youth.  At  this  present  time  some  of  the  sons  of  some  of  the 
first  men  in  Massachusetts  are  village  school  masters;  that 
is,  they  keep  a  school  in  the  winter  vacations  of  the  Univer- 
sity ;  and  some  of  them  for  the  first  year  after  leaving  col- 
lege. 

I  was  much  pleased  with  the  general  ;  and  have  since 
learnt,  that  he  was  a  very  worthy  and  benevolent  man  ;  and 
that  he  had  paid  great  attention  to  the  education  of  youth  in 
Newfoundland  ;  and  that  it  was,  in  a  degree,  his  ruling  pas- 
sion.* I  wish  I  had  then  known  as  much  of  our  school 
system,  and  of  our  system  of  public  education  at  our  Univer- 
sities, as  I  do  now;  for  I  might  have  gratified  his  benevo- 
lent disposition  by  the  recital.  The  ignorance  of  English 
gentlemen  of  the  people  of  America,  and  of  their  education, 
is  indeed  surprising  as  well  as  mortifying.  By  their  treat- 
ment of  us,  it  is  evident  they  consider  us  a  sort  of  white 
savages,  with  minds  as  uncultivated,  and  dispositions  as  fe- 
rocious as  their  own  allies,  with  their  tomahawks  and  scalp- 
in-:  knives.  After  conversing  with  this  worthy  Englishman, 
about  the  education  of  the  common  people  in  America,  I 
could  not  but  say  to  myself,  little  do  you,  good  sir>  and  your 
haughty,  and  unfeeling  captain  imagine,  that  there  are  those 
among  the  hundred  miserable  men  whom  you  keep  confined 
in  the  hold  of  your  ship,  like  so  many  Gallipago  turtles,  and 
who  you  allow  to  suffer  -for  want  f/  sufficient  fcod  ;  little  do 
you  think  that  there  are  among  them  those  who  have  sufficient 
learning  to  lay  the  whole  story  of  their  sufferings  before  the 


*  By  what  i   have  just  .°een  in  the  newspapers,  I  have  reason  fo 
believing  that  Nova  Scotia  is  like  to  be  blessed  with  thi 
a  governor. 


or 


JOURNAL.  41 

American  and  English  people;  little  do  you  imagine  that 
the  inhumane  treatment  of  men  every  way  as  good  as  your- 
selves, is  now  recording,  and  will  in  due  time  be  displayed 
to  your  mortification. 

Our  sailors,  though  half  starved,  confined  and  broken  down 
by  harsh  treatment,  always  kept  up  the  genuine  Yankee 
character,  which  is  that  of  being  grateful  and  tractable  by 
kind  usage,  but  stern,  inflexible  and  resentful  at  harsh  treat- 
ment. One  morning  as  the  general  and  the  captain  of  the 
Regulus  were  walking  as  usual  on  the  quarter  deck,  one  of 
our  Yankee  boys  passed  along  the  galley  with  his  kid  of 
"  burgoo."  He  rested  it  on  the  edge  of  the  hatchway,  while 
he  was  adjusting  the  rope  ladder  to  descend  with  his  "  swill." 
The  thing  attracted  the  attention  of  the  general,  who  asked 
the  man,  how  many  of  his  comrades  eat  of  that  quantity  for 
their  breakfast  ?  "  Six  Sir"  said  the  man,  "  but  it  is  fit  food 
only  for  hogs"  This  answer  affronted  the  captain,  who 
asked  the  man,  in  an  angry  tone,  "  what  part  of  America  he 
came  from?"  "near  to  BUNKER  HILL,  Sir — if  you  ever 
heard  of  thai  place.  They  looked  at  each  other  and  smiled, 
turned  about  and  continued  their  walk.  This  is  what  the 
English  call  impudence.  Give  it  what  name  you  please,  it 
is  that  something  which  will,  one  day,  wrest  the  trident  from 
the  hands  of  Brittannia,  and  place  it  with  those  who  have 
more  humanity,  and  more  force  of  musele,  if  not  more  culti- 
vated powers  of  mind.  There  was  a  marine  in  the  Regulus, 
who  had  been  wounded  on  board  the  Shannon  in  the  battle 
with  the  Chesapeake,  who  had  a  great  antipathy  to  the 
Americans,  and  was  continually  casting  reflections  on  the 
Americans  generally.  He  one  day  got  into  a  high  dispute 
with  one  of  our  men,  which  ended  in  blows.  This  man  had 
served  on  board  the  Constitution,  when  she  captured  the 
Gucrrierc  and  afterwards  the  Java.  After  the  two  wrang- 
lers were  separated,  the  marine  complained  to  his  officer, 
that  he  had  been  abused  by  one  of  the  American  prisoners, 
and  it  reaching  the  captain's  ears,  he  ordered  the  American 
on  the  quarter  deck,  and  inquired  into  the  cause  of  the 
quarrel.  When  he  had  heard  it  all,  he  called  the  American 
sailor  a  d — d  coward  for  striking  a  wounded  man.  "  I  am 
"  no  coward,  Sir?  said  the  high  spirited  Yankee;  "  I  was 
"  cc'vUdn  of  a  gun  on  board  tfie  Constitution  when  she  captur- 
"  td  the  Guemere,  and  afterwards  when  she  took  the  Java. 
"  Had  I  been  a  coward  I  should  not  have  been  there"  The 
4 


42  JOURNAL. 

captain  called  him  an  insolent  scoundrel,  and  ordered  him  to 
his  hole  again.  What  the  British  naval  commanders  call 
insolence,  is  no  more  than  the  undaunted  expression  of  their 
natural  and  habitual  independence.  When  a  British  sailor 
is  called  by  his  captain,  in  an  angry  tone,  on  to  the  quarter- 
deck, he  turns  pale  and  trembles,  like  a  thief  before  a  coun- 
try justice  ;  but  not  so  the  American;  he,  if  he  be  innocent, 
speaks  his  mind  with  a  firm  tone  and  steady  countenance; 
and  if  he  feels  himself  insulted,  he  is  not  afraid  to  deal  in 
sarcasm.  In  the  instances  just  mentioned,  Jonathan  knew 
full  well  that  the  very  name  of  Bunker  Hill,  the  Chterriere* 
and  the  Java,  was  a  deep  mortification  to  John  Bull.  Ac- 
tuated by  this  sort  of  feeling,  the  steady  Romans  shook  the 
world. 

From  this  digression,  let  us  return,  and  resume  our  Jour- 
nal. We  arrived  off  Portsmouth  the  fifth  of  October,  1813; 
and  were  visited  by  the  health  officer,  and  ordered  to  the 
Mother-bank,  opposite  that  place,  where  vessels  ride  out  their 
quarantine.  The  next  day  the  ship  was  fumigated,  and 
every  exertion  made  by  the  officers  to  put  her  in  a  condition 
for  inspection  by  the  health-officer.  Letters  were  fumigated 
by  vinegar,  or  nitrous  acid,  before  they  were  allowed  to  go 
out  of  the  ship.  Their  attention  was  next  turned  to  us,  mis- 
erable prisoners.  We  were  ordered  t©  wash,  and  put  on 
clean  shirts.  Being  informed  that  many  of  us  had  not  a 
second  shirt  to  put  on,  the  captain  took  down  the  names  of 
such  destitute  men,  but  never  supplied  them  with  a  single 
rag. 

The  prisoners  were  now  as  anxious  to  go  on  shore,  and  to 
know  the  extent  of  their  misery,  as  the  captain  of  the  Regu- 
lous  was  to  get  rid  of  us.  The  most  of  us,  therefore,  joined 
heartily  in  the  task  of  cleansing  the  ship,  and  in  white-wash- 
ing the  lower  deck,  or  the  place  we  occupied.  Some,  either 
through  laziness  or  resentment,  refused  to  do  any  thing 
about  it ;  but  the  rest  of  us  said,  that  it  was  always  customary 
in  America,  when  we  left  a  house,  or  a  room  we  hired,  to 
leave  it  clean,  and  it  was  ever  deemed  disreputable  to  leave 
an  apartment  dirty.  The  officers  of  the  ship  tried  to  make 
them,  and  began  to  threaten  them,  but  they  persisted  in 
their  refusal,  and  every  attempt  to  force  them  was  fruitless. 
I  do  not  myself  wonder  that  the  British  officers,  so  used  to 
prompt  and  even  servile  obedience  of  their  own  men,  wer<> 
ready  to  knock  some  of  our  obstinate,  saury  fellows,  on  the 


JOURNAL. 

head.  This  brings  to  my  mind  the  concise  but  just  observa- 
tion of  an  English  traveller  through  the  United  States  of 
America.  After  saying  that  the  inhabitants  south  of  the 
Hudson  were  a  mixed  race  of  English,  Irish,  Scotch,  Dutch, 
Germans  and  Swedes,  among  whom  you  could  observe  no 
precise  national  character ;  he  adds,  "  but  as  to  New-Eng- 
u  land,  they  are  all  true  English ;  and  there  you  see  one  uni- 
"  form  trait  of  national  manners,  habits  and  dispositions. — 
"  The  people  are  hardy,  industrious,  humane,  obliging,  ob- 
<:  stinate  and  brave.  By  kind  and  courteous  usage,  mixed 
"  with  flattery,  you  can  lead  them,  like  so  many  children, 
"  almost  as  you  please ;"  but,  he  adds,  "  the  devil  from  h — /, 
"  with  fire  in  one  hand,  and  faggots  in  the  other,  cannot  drive 
"  them"  Neither  Caesar,  nor  Tacitus  ever  drew  a  more 
true  and  concise  character  of  the  Gauls,  or  Germans,  than 
this.  Here  is  seen  the  transplanted  Englishman,  enjoying 
«4  Indian  freedom,"  and  therefore  a  little  wilder  than  in  his 
native  soil  of  Albion;  and  yet  it  is  surprising  that  a  people, 
whose  ancestors  left  England  less  than  a  century  and  a  half 
ago,  should  be  so  little  known  to  the  present  court  and  ad- 
ministration of  Great  Britain.  Even  the  revolutionary  war 
was  not  sufficient  to  teacli  John  Bull,  that  his  descendants 
had  improved  by  transplantation,  in  all  those  qualities  for 
which  stuffy  John  most  values  himself.  The  present  race 
of  Englishmen  are  puffed  up,  and  blinded  by  what  they  have 
been,  while  their  descendants  in  America  are  proud  of  what 
they  are,  and  what  Ihey  know  they  shall  be. 

After  the  ship  had  been  cleansed,  fumigated  and  partially 
white-washed,  so  as  to  be  fit  for  the  eye  and  nose  of  the 
health  officer,  she  was  examined  by  him,  and  reported  free 
from  contagion!  Now  I  conceive  this  line  of  conduct  not 
very  reputable  to  the  parties  concerned.  When  we  arrived 
off  Portsmouth,  our  ship  was  filthy,  and  I  believe  contagious ; 
\ve  miserable  prisoners,  were  mcrusted  with  the  nastiness 
common  to  such  a  place,  as  that  into  which  we  had  been  in- 
humanly crowded.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  health  officers 
and  the  surgeon  of  the  Regulus,  to  have  reported  her  con- 
dition when  she  first  anchored ;  and  not  to  have  cleaned 
her  up,  and  altered  her  condition  for  inspection.  In  th« 
American  service  the  captain,  surgeon  and  health  officer 
would  have  all  been  cashiered  for  such  a  dereliction  of  hon- 
our and  duty.  This  is  the  way  that  the  British  board  of 
admiralty,  the  transport  board,  the  parliament,  and  the  peo~ 


44  JOURNAL. 

pie  are  deceived,  and  their  nation  disgraced ;  and  this  corrup- 
tion, which  more  or  less  pervades  the  whole  transport  ser- 
vice, will  enervate  and  debase  their  boasted  navy.  We 
cannot  suppose  that  the  British  board  of  admiralty,  or  the 
transport  board  would  justify  the  cruel  system  of  starvation 
practised  on  the  brave  Americans  who  were  taken  in  Can- 
ada, and  conveyed  in  their  floating  dungeons  down  the  river 
St.  Lawrence  to  Halifax.  Some  of  these  captains  of  trans- 
ports deserve  to  be  hanged  for  their  barbarity  to  our  men ; 
and  for  the  eternal  haired  they  have  occasioned  towards 
their  own  government  in  the  hearts  of  the  surviving  Ameri- 
cans. We  hope,  for  the  honor  of  that  country  whence  we 
derived  our  laws  and  sacred  institutions,  that  this  Journal 
will  be  read  in  England. 

The  Regulus  was  then  removed  to  the  anchoring  place 
destined  for  men  of  war;  and  the  same  night,  we  were  taken 
out,  and  put  on  board  the  Malabar  store  ship,  where  we 
found  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  our  countrymen  in  her  hold, 
with  no  other  bed  to  sleep  on  but  the  stone  ballast.  Here 
were  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  emaciated  by  a  system  of 
starvation  cooped  up  in  a  small  space,  with  only  an  aperture 
of  about  two  feet  square  to  admit  the  air,  and  with  ballast 
stones  for  our  beds !  Although  in  harbor,  wre  were  not  sup- 
plied with  sufficient  water  to  quench  our  thirst,  nor  with 
sufficient  light  to  see  our  food,  or  each  other,  nor  of  sufficient 
air  to  breathe;  and  what  aggravated  the  whole,  was  the 
stench  of  the  place,  owing  to  a  diarrhoea  with  which  several 
were  affected.  Our  situation  was  indeed  deplorable.  Im- 
agine yourself,  Christian  reader !  two  hundred  and  fifty  men 
crammed  into  a  place  too  small  to  contain  one  hundred  with 
comfort,  stifling  for  want  of  air,  pushing  and  crowding  each 
other,  and  exerting  all  their  little  remaining  strength  to  push 
forward  to  the  grated  hatch-way  to  respire  a  little  fresh  air. 
The  strongest  obtained  their  wish,  while  the  weakest  were 
pushed  back,  and  sometimes  trampled  under  foot. 

Out  stretch' d  he  lies,  and  as  he  pants  for  breath, 
Receives  at  every  gasp  new  draughts  of  death.          TASSO. 

God  of  mercy,  cried  I,  in  my  agony  of  distress,  is  this  a 
sample  of  the  English  humanity  we  have  heard  and  read  so 
much  of  from  our  school  boy  years  to  manhood  ?  If  they  be 
a  merciful  nation,  they  belong  to  that  clas?  of  nations 
*'  whose  tender  inereies  are  cruelty," 


JOURNAL. 

llepresentations  were  repeatedly  made  to  the  captain  of  the 
Malabar,  of  our  distressed  situation,  as  suffering  extremely 
by  iieal  and  stagnant  air;  for  only  two  of  us  were  allowed 
to  come  upon  deck  at  a  time ;  but  he  answered  that  he  had 
given  orders  for  our  safe  treatment,  and  safe  keeping;  and  he 
was  determined  not  to  lose  his  ship  by  too  much  lenity.  In 
a  word,  we  found  the  fellow's  heart  to  be  as  hard  as  the  bed 
we  slept  on.  Soon  after,  however,  our  situation  became  so 
dangerous  and  alarming,  that  one  of  the  marine  corps  in- 
formed the  captain  that  if  he  wished  to  preserve  us  alive,  he 
must  speedily  give  us  more  air.  If  this  did  not  move  his 
compassion,  it  alarmed  his  fears;  and  he  then  gave  orders  to 
remove  the  after  hatch,  and  iron  bars  fixed  in  its  place,  in 
order  to  prevent  us  from  forcing  our  way  up,  and  throwing 
him  into  the  sea,  a  punishment  he  richly  deserved.  This 
alteration  rendered  the  condition  of  our  "  black  hole"  more 
tolerable;  it  was  nevertheless  a  very  loathsome  dungeon; — 
for  our  poor  fellows  were  not  allowed  to  go  upon  deck  to  re- 
lieve the  calls  of  nature,  but  were  compelled  to  appropriate 
one  part  of  our  residence  to  this  dirty  purpose.  This,  as 
may  be  supposed,  rendered  our  confinement  doubly  disgust- 
ing, as  well  as  unwholesome. 

I  do  not  recollect  the  name  of  the  captain  of  the  Malabar, 
and  it  may  be  as  well  that  I  do  not;  I  only  know  that  he 
was  a  Scotchman.  It  may  be  considered  by  some  as  illib- 
eral to  deal  in  national  reflections,  I  nevertheless  cannot  help 
remarking  that  I  have  received  more  ill-treatment  from  men 
of  that  nation  than  from  individuals  of  any  other ;  and  this 
is  the  general  impression  of  my  countrymen.  The  poet  tell 
us,  that 

44  Cowards  are  cruel,  but  the  brave 
"  Love  mercy,  and  delight  to  save.17* 

*  The  Emperor  Maurice  being,  says  Montaigne,  advised  by 
dreams  and  several  prognostics,  that  one  Phoeas,  an  obscure  soldier, 
should  kill  him,  questioned  his  son-in-law,  Philip,  who  this  Phoeas 
was,  and  what  was  his  nature,  qualities,  and  manners ;  and  as  soon 
as  Philip,  amongst  other  things,  had  told  him  that  he  was  u  cowardly 
and  timorous,"  the  Emperor  immediately  thence  concluded  that  he 
was  cruel  and  a  murdcrtr.  \Vhat  is  it,  says  Montaigne,  that  make* 
tyrants  so  bloody  ?  vf  is  the  solicitude  for  their  own  safety,  and  their 
faint  hearts  can  furnish  them  with  no  other  means  of  securing  them- 
selves, than  in  exterminating  those  who  may  hurt  them.  See  his  Essay 
entitled,  Cowardice  the  Mother  of  Cruelty, — Vol.  2d,  chap, 
4* 


«0  JOURNAL, 

The  Scotch  are  brave  soldiers,  but  we,  Americans,  have 
found  them  to  be  the  most  hard  hearted  and  cruel  people  we 
have  ever  yet  met  with.  Our  soldiers  as  well  as  sailors 
make  the  same  complaint,  insomuch,  that,  "  cruel  as  a 
Scotchman^  has  become  a  proverb  in  the  United  States. — 
The  Scotch  officers  have  been  remarked  for  treating  our 
officers,  when  in  their  power,  with  insolence,  and  expres- 
sions of  contempt;  more  so  than  the  English.  It  is  said 
that  a  Scotch  officer,  who  superintends  the  horrid  whippings 
so  common  in  British  camps,  is  commonly  observed  to  be 
more  hard  hearted  than  an  English  one.  It  is  certain  that 
they  are  generally  preferred  as  negro-drivers  in  the  West- 
India  islands.  It  has  been  uniformly  remarked  that  those 
Scotchmen  who  are  settled  on  the  Canada  frontiers  are  re- 
markable for  their  bitterness  towards  our  men  in  captivity. 
^We  speak  here  of  the  vagrant  Scotch,  the  fortune-hunters 
01  the  Caledonian  tribe;  at  the  same  time  we  respect  her 
philosophers  and  literary  men,  who  appear  to  us  to  compose 
the  first  rank  of  writers.  Without  mentioning  their  Ossian, 
Thompson  and  Burns,  we  may  enumerate  their  prose  wri- 
ters, such  as  Hume,  and  the  present  association  of  truly  learn- 
ed and  acute  men,  who  write  the  Edinburgh  Review.  A 
Scotchman  may  be  allowed  to  show  pride  at  the  mention  of 
this  celebrated  work.  As  it  regards  America,  this  northern 
constellation  of  talent,  shines  brightly  in  our  eyes.  The  an- 
cient Greeks,  who  once  straggled  about  Rome  and  the  Ro- 
man empire,  were  not  fair  specimens  of  the  refined  Athen- 
ians. 

Our  peasantry,  settled  around  our  own  frontier,  and  around 
the  shores  of  our  lakes,  have  a  notion  that  the  "Scotch  High- 
landers were,  not  long  since,  the  same  kind  of  wild,  half-nak- 
ed people  compared  with  the  true  English,  that  the  Ghb&arvs, 
Cherokees,  Pottonatdmies  and  Kickapoo  Indians  are  to  the 
common  inhabitants  of  these  United  States ;  and  that  less 
than  an  hundred  years  ago,  these  Scotchmen  were  in  the 
habit  of  making  the  like  scalping  and  tomahawking  excur- 
sions upon  the  English  farmer,  that  the  North  American 
savage  makes  upon  the  white  people  here.  This  is  the  gen- 
eral idea  which  our  common  people  have  of  what  W  alter  Scott 
calls  "  the  border  wars"  Some  of  them  will  tell  you  that 
the  Scotch  go  half  naked  in  their  own  country — wear  a 
blanket,  and  kill  their  enemies,  with  a  knife,  just  like  In- 
dians. They  say  their  feature  a  differ  from  the  English  as 


.sOlRNAL,  47 

much  as  theirs  do  from  the  Indian.  In  a  word,  they  suppose 
the  Scotch  Highlanders  to  be  a  race  who  have  t;een  con- 
quered by  the  English,  who  have  taught  them  the  use  of 
lire  arms,  and  civilized  them,  in  a  degree,  so  as  to  form  them 
into  regiments  of  soldiers,  and  this  imperfect  idea  of  the  halt" 
savage  Sawney  will  not  soon  be  corrected ;  and  we  must  say 
that  the  general  conduct  of  this  harsh  and  self-interested 
race  towards  our  prisoners,  will  not  expedite  the  period  of 
correct  ideas  relative  to  the  comparative  condition  of  the 
Scotch  and  English.  The  Americans  have  imbibed  no 
prejudice  against  the  Irish,  having  found  them  a  brave,  gen- 
erous, jovial  set  of  fellows,  full  of  fun,  and  full  of  good,  kind 
feelings;  the  antipodes  of  Scotchmen,  who,  as  it  regards 
these  qualities,  are  cold,  rough  and  barren;  like  the  land 
that  gave  them  birth. 

We  moved  from  Portsmouth  to  the  Ncre  or  Noah,  for  I 
know  not  the  meaning  of  the  word,  or  how  to  spell  it.  The 
place  so  called  is  the  mouth  of  the  river  Thames,  which  runs 
through  the  capital  of  the  British  nation.  We  were  three 
days  on  our  passage.  Here  we  were  transferred  to  several 
lenders  in  order  to  be  transported  to  Chatham.  We  soon 
entered  the  river  Mcdrvay,  which  rises  in  Sussex,  and  passes 
by  Tunbridge,  Maidstone  and  Rochester,  in  Kent ;  and  is 
then  divided  into  two  branches,  called  the  east  and  west 
passage.  The  chief  entrance  is  the  west ;  and  is  defended 
by  a  considerable  fort,  called  Sheemess.  In  this  river  lay  a 
number  of  Russian  men  of  war,  detained  here  probably  by 
way  of  pledge  for  the  fidelity  of  the  Emperor.  What  gives 
most  celebrity  to  this  river  is  Chatham,  a  naval  station,  where 
the  English  build  and  lay  up  their  first  rate  men  of  war.  It  is 
but  about  thirty  miles  from  London ;  or  the  distance  of  New- 
port, Rhode  Island,  fronj  the  town  of  Providence.  We  pass- 
ed up  to  where  the  prison  ships  lay,  after  dark.  The  pros- 
pect appeared  very  pleasant,  as  the  prison  ships  appeared  to 
us  illuminated.  As  we  were  all  upon  deck,  we  enjoyed  the 
sight  as  we  passed,  and  the  commander  of  the  tender  appear- 
ed to  partake  of  our  pleasure.  We  were  ordered  on  board 
the  Crown  Prince  prison  ship;  and  as  our  names  were  called 
over,  we  were  marched  along  the  deck  between  two  rows  of 
emaciated  Frenchmen,  who  had  drawn  themselves  up  to  re- 
view us.  We  then  passed  on  to  that  part  of  the  ship  which 
•was  occupied  by  the  Americans,  who  testified  their  curiosi- 
ty at  knowing  ail  about  us ;  and  sticking  to  iheir  u; 


4t>  JOVIINAL. 

characteristic,  put  more  questions  to  us  in  tee  minutes,  thaa 
\ve  could  well  answer  in  as  many  hou;s.  We  i.a&^d  the 
evening  and  the  first  part  of  the  night  in  mutual  communica- 
tions ;  and  we  went  to  rest  with  more  pleasure  than  for  many 
a  night  before. 

Our  prison  ship  was  moored  in  what  they  called  GillJng- 
ham  reach.  We  would  here  remark,  that  the  river,  and 
Thames,  and  Medway  make,  like  all  other  rivers  near  to 
their  outlets,  many  turnings  or  headings;  some  tormina;  a 
more  obtuse,  and  some  a  more  acute  angle  with  their  banks. 
This  course  of  the  river  compels  a  vessel  to  stretch  along  in 
one  direction,  and  then  to  stretch  along  in  a  very  different 
direction.  What  the  English  call  reaching,  we  in  America 
call  stretching.  Each  of  these  different  courses  of  the  river 
they  call  "reaches"  They  have  their  long  reach  and  their 
short  reach,  and  a  number  of  reaches,  under  local,  or  less  ob- 
vious names.  Some  are  named  after  some  of  their  own  pi- 
rates, which  is  here  and  there  designated  by  a  gibbet ;  a  sin- 
gular object,  be  sure,  to  greet  the  eye  of  a  stranger  on  enter- 
ing the  grand  watery  avenue  of  the  capital  of  the  British 
empire.  But  there  is  no  room  for  disputing  concerning  our 
tastes.  The  reach  where  our  prison  was  moored  was  about 
three  miles  below  Chatham ;  and  is  named  from  the  village 
of  Gillinghain.  Now  whether  reach  or  stretch  be  the  most 
proper  term  for  an  effort  to  sail  against  the  wind,  is  left  to  be 
settled  by  those  reverend  monopolizers  of  all  the  arts  and 
sciences,  the  London  Reviewers ;  who,  by  the  way,  and  we 
mention  it  pro  bono  publico,  would  very  much  increase  their 
siock  of  knowledge  and  usefulness,  if  they  would  depute  a  few 
missionaries,  for  their  own  reverend  body,  to  pass  and  repass 
the  Atlantic  in  a  British  transport,  containing  in  its  black 
hole  an  hundred  or  two  of  Yankee  prisoners  of  war :  We  do 
wish  that  the  London  Quarterly  Reviewers  particularly  would 
take  a  hi})  in  the  Malabar ;  it  would,  if  they  should  be  so 
fortunate  as  to  survive  the  voyage,  make  them  better  judges 
of  the  character  of  the  English  nation,  and  of  the  American 
cation,  and  of  that  nearly  lost  tribe,  the  Caledonian  nation. 

There  were  thirteen  prison  ships  beside  our  own,  all  ships 
of  the  line,  and  one  hospital  ship,  moored  near  each  other. 
They  were  filled,  principally,  with  Frenchmen,  Danes  and 
Italians.  We  found  on  our  arrival  twelve  hundred  Ameri- 
cans, chiefly  men  who  had  been  impressed  on  board  British 
men  of  war,  and  who  had  given  themselves  up,  with  a  de- 


JOURNAL.  49 

c.laraliou  that  they  would  not  fight  against  tlheir  own  coun- 
trymen, and  they  were  sent  here  and  confined,  without  any  dis- 
tinction made  between  them  and  those  who  had  been  taken 
in  arms.  The  injustice  of  the  thing  is  glaring.  During  the 
night  the  prisoners  were  confined  on  the  lower  deck  and  on 
the  main  deck;  but  in  the  day  time  they  were  allowed  the 
privilege  of  the  "pound,"  so  called,  and  the  fore-castle; — 
which  was  a  comfortable  arrangement  compared  with  the 
black  holes  of  the  Regulus  and  Malabar.  There  were  three 
officers  on  board  our  ship,  a  lieutenant,  a  sailing  master,  and 
a  surgeon,  together  with  sixty  marines  and  a  few  invalids, 
or  superannuated  seamen  to  go  in  the  bouts.  The  whole 
were  under  the  command  of  a  commodore,  while  captain 
Hutchinson,  agent  for  the  prisoners  of  war,  exercised  a  sort  of 
controul  over  the  whole ;  but  the  butts  and  bounds  of  their 
jurisdiction  I  never  knew.  The  commodore  visited  each  of 
the  prison  ships  every  month,  to  hear  and  redress  complaints, 
and  to  correct  abuses,  and  to  enforce  wholesome  regulations. 
All  written  communications,  and  all  intercourse  by  letter 
passed  through  the  hands  of  captain  Hutca'mson.  If  the 
letters  contained  nothing  of  evil  tendency,  they  were  suffer- 
ed to  pass ;  but  if  they  contained  any  thing  which  the  agent 
deemed  improper,  they  were  detained. 

We  found  our  situation  materially  altered  for  the  better. 
Our  allowance  of  food  was  more  consonant  to  humanity  ttrin 
at  Halifax,  much  more  to  the  villanous  scheme  of  starvation 
on  board  the  Regulus,  and  the  still  more  execrable  Malabar. 
Our  allowance  of  food  here  was  half  a  pound  of  beef  arid  a 
gill  of  barley,  one  pound  and  a  half  of  bread,  for  five  days  in 
the  week,  and  one  pound  of  cod  fish,  and  one  pound  of  po- 
tatoes, or  one  pound  of  smoked  herring,  the  other  two  days ; 
and  porter  and  small  beer  were  allowed  to  be  sold  to  us. — 
Boats  with  garden  vegetables  visited  the  ship  daily;  so  that 
we  now  lived  in  clover  compared  with  our  former  hard  fare 
and  cruel  treatment.  Upon  the  whole,  I  believe  that  we 
fared  as  well  as  could  be  expected,  all  things  considered ; 
and  had  such  fare  as  we  could  do  very  well  with ;  not  that 
we  fared  so  well  as  the  British  prisoners  fare  in  America. 
Rich  as  the  English  nation  is,  it  cannot  well  afford  to  feed 
us  as  we  feed  the  British  prisoners ;  such  is  the  difference  in 
the  two  countries  in  point  of  cheap  food.  On  thanksgiving 
days,  and  on  Christinas  days,  and  such  like  holy  days,  we, 
m  America,  used  to  treat  these  European  prisoners  with 


50  JOURNAL. 

geese,  turkies,  and  plumb  pudding.  Many  of  these  fellows 
declared  that  they  never  in  their  lives  sat  down  to  a  table  to 
a  roasted  turkey,  or  even  a  roasted  goose.  It  is  a  fact,  that 
vfhen  the  time  approached  for  drafting  the  British  prisoners 
in  Boston  harbor,  to  send  to  Halifax  to  exchange  them  for 
our  own  men,  several  of  the  patriotic  Englishmen,  and  many 
Irishmen,  ran  away ;  and  when  taken  showed  as  much  cha- 
grin as  our  men  would  have  felt,  had  they  attempted  to  de- 
sert and  run  home  from  Halifax  prison,  and  had  been  seized 
and  brought  back !  This  is  a  curious  fact,  and  worthy  the 
attention  of  the  British  politician.  An  American,  in  Eng- 
land, pines  to  get  home  ;  while  an  Englishman  and  an  Irish- 
man longs  to  become  an  American  citizen !  Ye  wise  men  of 
England  !  the  far  famed  England !  the  proud  island  whence 
we  originally  sprang,  ponder  well  this  fact ;  and  confess  that 
it  will  finally  operate  a  great  change  in  our  respective  coun- 
tries ;  and  that  your  thousand  ships,  your  vast  commerce, 
and  your  immense  (facticious)  riches  cannot  alter  it.  This 
inclination,  or  disposition,  growing  up  in  the  hearts  of  that 
class  of  your  subjects  who  are  more  disposed  to  follow  the 
bent  of  their  natural  appetites  than  to  cultivate  patriotic 
opinions,  will  one  day  hoist  our  "  bits  of  striped  bunting" 
over  those  of  your  now  predominating  flag,  and  you  long 
sighted  politicians,  see  it  as  well  as  I  do.  The  hard  fare  of 
your  sailors  and  soldiers,  the  scouridrelism  of  some  of  your 
officers,  especially  those  concerned  in  your  provision  de- 
partments ;  but  above  all,  your  shocking  cruel  punishments 
in  your  navy  and  in  your  army,  have  lessened  their  attach- 
ment to  their  native  country.  England  has,  from  the  be- 
ginning, blundered  most  wretchedly,  for  want  of  consulting 
the  human  heart,  in  preference  to  musty  parchments ;  and 
the  equally  juseless  books  on  the  law  of  nations.  Believe 
me,  ye  great  men  of  England,  Scotland,  Ireland  and  Ber- 
wick uj>on  Tweed !  that  one  chapter  from  the  Law  of  Hu- 
man Nature,  is  worth  more  than  all  your  libraries  on  the  law 
of  nations.  Beside,  gentlemen,  your  situation  is  a  new  one. 
No  nation  was  ever  so  situated  and  circumstanced  as  you 
are,  with  regard  to  us,  your  descendants.  The  history  of 
nations  does  not  record  its  parallel.  Why  then  have  recourse 
to  books,  or  maritime  laws,  or  written  precedents  ? — In  the 
code  of  the  law  of  nations,  you  stand  in  need  of  an  entirely 
New  Chapter.  We  Americans,  we  despised  Americans,  are; 
accumulating,  asfastas  we  well  can,  the  materials  for  that  chap- 


JOURNAL.  51 

ter.  Your  government  began  to  write  thischapf  er  in  blood;  and 
for  two  years  pasture  co-operated  with  you  in  the  same  way. 
Nothing"  stands  still  within  the  great  frame  of  nature.  On 
every  sublunary  thing  mutability  is  written.  Nothing  can 
arrest  the  destined  course  of  republics  and  kingdoms. 

u  WESTWARD  the  course  of  empire  takes  its  way." Dean  Berkley. 

It  is  singular  that  while  the  Englishman  and  Irishman 
are  disposed  to  abandon  their  native  countries  to  dwell  with 
us  in  this  new  world,  the  Scotchman  has  rarely  shown  that 
inclination.  No — Sawney  is  J-vyai,  and  talks  as  big  of  his 
kins:,  and  his  covntry,  as  would  an  English  country  squire, 
surrounded  by  his  tenants,  his  horses,  and  his  dogs.  It  is 
singular  that  the  Laplander,  and  the  inhabitant  of  Iceland, 
are  as  much  attached  to  their  frightful  countries,  as  the  in- 
habitant of  Italy,  France  or  England;  and  when  avarice, 
and  the  thirst  for  a  domineering  command  leads  the  Scotch- 
man out  of  his  native  rocks  and  barren  hills,  and  treeless 
country,  he  talks  of  it  as  a  second  paradise,  and  as  the  an- 
cient Egyptians  longed  after  their  onions  and  garlics,  so 
these  half-dressed,  raw-boned-mountaineers,  talk  in  raptures 
of  their  country,  of  their  bag-pipes,  their  singed  sheep's  head, 
and  their  "  haggiss"  The  only  way  that  I  can  think  of, 
(by  way  of  preventing  the  hearts  blood  of  Old  England  from 
being  drained  off  into  America,)  is  to  people  Nova  Scotia 
and  Newfoundland  with  Scotchmen;  where' they  can  raise  a 
few  sheep,  for  singing,  and  for  hoggins ;  and  where  they 
can  wear  their  Gothic  habit,  and  be  indulged  in  the  luxury 
of  the  hag-pipe,  enjoy  over  again  their  native  fogs,  and 
howling  storms,  and  think  themselves  at  home.  Nature 
seems  to  have  fixed  the  great  articles  of  food  in  Nova  Sco- 
tia to  fish  and  potatoes  ;  this  last  article  is  of  excellent  qual- 
ity in  that  country.  Then  let  these  strangers,  these  trans- 
planted Scotchmen, these  /totfes, these  antipodes  to  the  Amer- 
icans, man  the  British  fleet ;  and  fill  up  the  ranks  of  their 
armies,  and  mutual  antipathy  will  prevent  the  dreaded  co- 
alition. 

But  I  hasten  to  return  from  these  people  to  my  prison 
ship.  Among  other  conveniences,  we  had  a  sort  of  a  shed 
erected  over  the  hatch-way,  on  which  to  air  our  hammocks. 
This  v,  as  grateful  to  us  ail,  especially  to  those  whose  learning 
had  taught  them  the  salutiferous  effects  of  a  free  circulation 
of  the  vital  air.  It  is  surprising,  that  after  what  the  English 


52  .NAL. 

philosophers  have  \vrilteii  concerning  the  ^n>Vif-rfI^?  nf  the 

atmospheric    air;    after  what   Bo;.  Males  and 

".'./  ].':•.>••  \\rilten  on  this  sn'riccl :  and  after  uh.it  they 

have  learn!  from  the  history  of  tin   -  i.lack  hole  ;  and 

after  what  Howard  has  taught  them  concerning  prisons  and 

hospitals,  i(  is  siisyrlsin:!;  that  in    1<J  13,  i:>"  commanders  of 

al  ships  in  ihe  English  seivice,  slionld  he  allowed  to 

a  crowd  of  r.  hideous  l>:  ,  situ- 

:  the  bottom  of  their  ships,  far  i:el  >w  t!i  '  surl'.iceof  the 

!  have  sometimes  pleased  myself  with  (lie  hope  that 

what  is  hire   \\rii!ru    may  contribute  to  the  nhnlition  of  a 

practi'  aerful  to  a  nation  ;  a  nation  which  has  the 

honor  of  first  teaching  mankind  the  true  properties  of  the 

air;  and  of  ihe  philosophy  of  the  healthy   construction  of 

prisons  and  hospitals  ;  and  one  would  suppose  of  healthy  and 

convenient  ships,  for  the  prisoner,  as  well  as  for  their  own 

>en. 

Our  situation,  in  the  day  time,  was  not  unpleasant  for 
prisoners  of  war.  Co:i!i:ie!:;ent  is  disagreeable  to  all  men, 
and  v*1!1}-  irksome  to  us,  Y  ankccs,  who  have  rioted,  .;s  it 
were,  from  our  infancy,  in  a  sort  of  Indian  freedom.  Our 
situation  was  the  most  unpleasant  during  the  night.  It  was 
the  practice,  every  night  at  sun-set,  to  count  the  prisoners 
as  they  went  down  below;  and  then  the  hatdi-Avays  were 
all  barred  down  and  locked,  and  I  he  ladder  of  co:ir.«u.:n:c.ation 
drawn  up;  and  every  other  precaution  that  fear  inspires, 
d,  to  prevent  our  escape,  or  our  rising  upon  our  prison 
«'s;  for  they  never  had  half  the  apprehension  of  the 
French  as  of  the"  Americans.  They  said  the  French  were 
always  busy  in  some  little  mechanical  employment,  or  in 
gaming,  or  in  playing  the  fco!  ;  but  that  the  Americans 
seemed  to  be  on  (he  rack  of  m\  rnli:Mi  to  escape,  or  to  elude 
some  of  the  Ier.it  agreeable  ofthe's.  i  is.  In  a.  word, 

they  cared  hut  little  for  the  Frenchmen;  but  were   in  con- 
stant dread  of  the  increasing  contrivance,  and  persevering 
efforts  of  us  Americans      They   had  built  around  the  sides 
of  the  ship,  and  little  above  I!:-:"  surface  of  the  water,  a 
or  flooring,  on  which  th;  walked  during  the  whole 

night,   singing   out,   oveiy   half  hour,  ' 

se.ntries  marching  around  the  ship,  they  h;u' 
guard  in  boats,  rowing  around  all  the.  ships,  durr 
long  night.      Whenever   thes<    l.oats  rowed  post  a  sentinel, 
-  his  duty  to  challenge  them,  and  theirs  ;.  :»nd 


JOURNAL. 

this  was  done  to  ascertain  whether  they  were  French  or 
American  boats,  come  to  surprise,  and  carry  by  boarding, 
the  Crown  Prince!  We  used  to  laugh  among  ourselves  at 
this  ridiculous  precaution.  It  must  be  remembered,  that  we 
were  then  up  a  small  river,  \vithin  thirty-two  miles  of  Lon- 
don, and  three  thousand  miles  from  our  own  country.  How- 
ever, "  a  burnt  child  dreads  the  fire,"  and  an  Englishman's 
fears  may  tell  him,  that  what  once  happened,  may  happen 
again.  About  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  viz.  in  1 1)07, 
the  Dutch  sent  one  of  their  admirals  up  the  river  Mtdway, 
three  miles  above  where  we  now  lay,  and  singed  the  beard 
of  John  Bull.  He  has  never  entirely  got  over  that  fright, 
but  turns  pale  and  trembles  ever  since,at  the  sight,  or 
of  a  republican. 


CHAPTER  III. 

OUR  prison  ship  contained  a  pretty  well  organized  com- 
munity. We  were  allowed  to  establish  among  ourselves  an 
internal  police  for  our  own  comfort  and  self  government. — 
And  here  we  adhered  to  the  forms  of  our  own  adored  con- 
stitution ;  for  in  place  of  making  a  King,  Princes,  Dukes,  Earls, 
and  Lords,  we  elected  a  PRESIDENT,  and  twelve  Counsel- 
lors; who,  having  executive  as  well  as  legislative  powers, 
we  called  Committee  mm.  But  instead  of  four  yeara,  they 
were  to  hold  their  offices  but  four  weeks ;  at  the  end  of 
which  a  new  set  was  chosen,  by  the  general  votes  of  all  the 
prisoners. 

It  was  the  duty  of  the  President  and  his  twelve  counsel- 
lors, to  make  wholesome  laws,  and  define  crimes,  and  award 
punishments.  We  made  laws  and  regulations  respecting 
personal  behaviour,  and  personal  cleanliness  ;  which  last  we 
enforced  with  particular  care ;  for  we  had  some  lazy,  lifeless-, 
slack  twisted,  dirty  fellows  among  us,  that  required  attend- 
ing to,  like  children.  They  were  like  hogs,  whose  <! 
it  is  to  eat,  sleep  and  wallow  in  the  dirt,  and  never  work. — 
We  had,  however,  but  very  few  of  this  low  cast ;  and  they 
were,  in  a  great  measure,  pressed  down  by  some  chronical 
disorder.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  President  and  the  twelve 
5 


JOURNAL, 


committee  men,  or  common  council,  to  define,  precisely 
every  act  punishable  by  fine,  whipping,  or  confinement  in 
the  black  hole.  I  opposed,  with  all  my  might,  this  last  mode 
of  punishment,  as  unequal,  inhuman,  and  disgraceful  to  our 
national  character.  I  contended  that  we,  who  had  suffered 
*o  much,  and  complained  so  loud  of  the  Hack  hole  of  the 
Hegulus,  Malabar,  and  other  floating  dungeons,  should  reject, 
from  an  humane  principle,  this  horrid  mode  of  torment.  I 
urged,  as  a  medical  man,  that  the  punishment  of  a  confined 
black  hole,  was  a  very  unequal  mode  of  punishment ;  for 
that  some  men  of  weak  lungs  and  debilitated  habit,  might 
die  under  the  effects  of  that  which  another  man  could  bear 
•without  much  distress.  I  maintained  that  it  was  wicked,  a 
sin  against  human  nature,  to  take  a  well  man,  put  him  in  a 
place  that  should  destroy  his  health,  and,  very  possibly, 
shorten  his  days,  by  engrafting  on  him  some  incurable  dis- 
order. Some,  on  the  other  side,  urged,  that  as  we  were  in 
the  power  of  the  British,  we  should  not  be  uncivil  to  them ; 
and  that  our  rejection  of  the  punishment  of  the  Hack  hole 
might  be  construed  into  a  reflection  on  the  English  govern- 
ment ;  so  we  suffered  it  to  remain  in  terrorem,  with  a  strong 
recommendation  not  to  have  recourse  to  it  but  in  very  ex- 
traordinary cases.  This  dispute  plunged  me  deep  into  the 
philosophy  of  crimes  and  punishments ;  and  I  am  convinced, 
on  mature  reflection,  that  we,  in  America,  are  as  much  too 
mild  in  our  civil  punishments,  as  the  British  are  too  severe. 
May  not  our  extreme  lenity  in  punishing  theft  and  murder, 
lead,  in  time,  to  the  adoption  of  the  bloody  code  of  England, 
with  their  horrid  custom  of  hanging  girls  and  boys  for  petty 
thefts  ?  Is  it  not  a  fact,  that  several  convicted  murderers 
have  escaped  lately  with  their  lives,  from  a  too  tender  mer- 
cy, which  is  cruelty  ?  By  what  I  have  heard,  I  have  infer- 
red, that  the  Hollanders  have  drawn  a  just  line  between  both. 
We  used  to  have  our  stated,  as  well  as  occasional  courts, 
Beside  a  bench  of  judges,  we  had  our  orators,  and  expound- 
ers of  pur  laws.  It  was  amusing  and  interesting,  to  see  a 
sailor,  in  his  round  short  jacket,  addressing  the  committee, 
or  bench  of  judges,  with  a  phiz  as  serious,  and  with  lies  as 
specious  as  any  of  our  common  lawyers  in  Connecticut. — 
They  would  argue,  turn  and  twist,  evade,  retreat,  back  out, 
renew  the  attack,  and  dispute  every  inch  of  the  ground,  or 
rather  the  deck,  with  an  address  that  astonished  me.  The 
surgeon  of  the  ship  said  to  me,  one  day,  after  listening  to 


JOURNAL.  S3 

some  of  our  native  salt  water  pleaders,  "  these  countrymen 
•*  of  yours  are  the  most  extraordinary  men  I  ever  met  with. 
"  While  you  have  such  fellows  as  these,  your  country  will 
"  never  lose  its  liberty."  I  replied,  that  this  turn  for  legis- 
lation arose  from  our  being  all  taught  to  read  and  write. — 
"  That,,  alone,  did  not  give  them,"  said  he,  "  this  acuteness 
"  of  understanding,  and  promptness  of  speech.  It  arises," 
said  he,  with  great  justness,  "  from  fearless  liberty." 

I  have  already  mentioned  that  we  had  Frenchmen  in  this 
prison-ship.  Instead  of  occupying  themselves  with  forming 
a  constitution,  and  making  a  code  of  laws,  and  denning 
crimes,  and  adjusting  punishments,  and  holding  courts,  and 
pleading  for,  and  against  the  person  arraigned,  these  French- 
men had  erected  Mlliard  tables,  and  romtetts,  or  wheels  of 
fortune,  not  merely  for  their  own  amusement,  but  to  allure 
the  Americans  to  hazard  their  money,  which  these  French- 
men seldom  failed  to  win. 

These  Frenchmen  exhibited  a  considerable  portion  of  in- 
genuity, industry  and  patience,  in  their  little  manufactories 
of  bone,  of  straw,  and  of  hair.  They  would  work  incessant- 
ly, to  get  money,  by  selling  these  trifling  wares  ;  but  many 
of  them  had  a  much  more  expeditious  way  of  acquiring  cash, 
and  that  was  by  gaming  at  the  billiard  tables  and  the  wheels 
of  fortune.  Their  skill  and  address  at  these,  apparent, 
games  of  hazard,  were  far  superior  to  the  Americans.  They 
seemed  calculated  for  gamesters;  their  vivacity,  their  read- 
iness, and  their  everlasting  professions  of  friendship,  were 
nicely  adapted  to  inspire  confidence  in  the  unsuspecting 
American  Jack-Tar;  who  has  no  legerdemain  about  him. 
Most  of  the  prisoners  were  in  the  way  of  earning  a  little 
money  ;  but  almost  all  of  them  were  deprived  of  it  by  the 
French  gamesters.  Our  people  stood  no  chance  with  them ; 
but  were  commonly  stripped  of  every  cent,  whenever  they 
set  out  seriously  to  play  with  them.  How  often  have  I  seen, 
a  Frenchman  capering,  and  singing,  and  grinning,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  stripping  one  of  our  sailors  of  all  his  money  ? 
while  our  solemn  Jack-Tar  was  either  scratching  his  head, 
or  trying  to  whistle,  or  else  walking  slowly  off,  with  both 
hands  stuck  in  his  pocket,  and  looking  like  John  Bull,  after 
concluding  a  treaty  of  peace  with  Louis  Baboon. 

I  admire  the  French,  and  wish  their  nation  to  possess  and 
enjoy  peace,  liberty  and  happiness;  but  I  cannot  say  that  I 
Jove  thsse  French  prisoner  Beside  common  sailors,  there 


56  JOURNAL. 

are  several  officers  of  the  rank  of  captains,  lieutenants,  ai 
I  believe,  midshipmen ;  and  it  is  these  that  are  the 
adroit  gamesters.  We  have  all  tried  hard  to  respect  them ; 
but  there  is  something  in  their  conduct  so  much  like  swind- 
ling, that  I  hardly  know  what  to  say  of  them.  When  they 
knew  that  we  had  received  money  for  the  work  we  had  been 
allowed  to  perform,  they  were  very  attentive,  and  complai- 
sant, ami  flattering.  Some  had  been,  or  pretended  to  have 
Leen,  in  America.  They  would  come  round  and  say,  "ah! 
"  Boston  fine  town,  very  pretty — Cape  Cod  fine  town,  very  fine. 
"  Town  of  Rhode-Island  superb.  Bristol-ferry  very  pretty. 
"  General  Washington  ires  grand  homme  !  General  Madison 
"  brave  homme  /"  With  these  expressions,  and  broken  Eng- 
lish, they  would  accompany,  with  their  monkey  tricks,  ca- 
pering and  grinning,  and  patting  us  on  the  shoulder,  with 
"the  Americans  (ire  brave  men—fight  like  Frenchmen:"  and 
by  their  insinuating  manners,  allure  our  men,  once  more,  to 
their  wheels  of  fortune  and  billiard  tables;  and  as  sure  as 
'hey  did,  so  sure  did  they  strip  them  of  all  their  money.  I 
must  either  say  nothing  of  these  Frenchmen,  officers  and 
oil ;  or  else  I  must  speak  as  I  found  them.  I  hope  they  were 
•not  a  just  sample  of  their  whole  nation ;  for  these  gentry 
would  exercise  every  imposition,  and  even  insinuate  the 
iliing  that  was  not,  the  more  easily  to  plunder  us  of  our  hard 
earned  pittance  of  small  change.  Had  they  shown  any  gen- 
erosity, like  the  British  tar,  1  should  have  passed  over  their 
conduct  in  silence  ;  but  after  they  had  stripped  our  men  of 
«;very  farthing,  they  would  say  to  them — "Monsieur,  you 
c'  have  won  all  our  money,  now  lend  us  a  little  change  to  get 
"  us  some  coffee  and  sugar,  and  we  will  pay  you  when  we  shall 
"  earn  more.'1''  "  Ah,  Mon  Ami"  says  Monsieur,  shrugging 
«p  bis  shoulders,  "  I  am  sorry,  very  sorry,  indeed;  it  w  U 
"fortune  du  guerre.  If  you  have  lost  your  money,  you  must 
"  win  it  back  again  ;  that  is  the  fashion  in  my  country — we 
u  no  lend ;  that  is  not  the  fashion"  1  have  observed  that 
these  Frenchmen  are  fatalists.  Good  luck,  or  ill  luck  is  all 
fate  with  them.  So  of 'their  national  misfortunes ;  they  shrug 
up  their  shoulders,  and  ascribe  all  to  the  inevitable  decrees 
of  fate.  This  is  very  different  from  the  Americans,  who 
ascribe  every  thing  to  prudence  or  imprudence,  strength  or 
weakness.  Our  men  say,  that  if  the  game  was  wrestling, 
playing  at  ball,  or  foot-ball,  or  firing  at  a  mark,  or  rowing,  or 
running  a  race,  they  should  be  on  fair  ground  with  them.— 


JOURNAL.  57 

Our  fellows  offered  to  institute  this  game  with  them ;  that 
there  should  be  a  strong  canvass  bag,  with  two  pieces  of 
cord  four  feet  long;  and  the  contest  should  be,  for  one  man 
to  put  the  other  in  the  bag,  with  the  liberty  of  first  tying  his 
hands,  or  his  feet,  or  both  if  he  chose.  Here  would  be  a 
contest  of  strength  and  hardihood,  but  not  of  cunning  or  le- 
gerdemain. But  the  Frenchmen  all  united  in  saying,  "  No ! 
No!  No!  It  is  not  the  fashion  in  our  country  to  tie  gentlemen 
up  in  sacks" 

There  were  here  some  Danes,  as  well  as  Dutchmen.  It 
is  curious  to  observe  their  different  looks  and  manners,  which 
I  can  hardly  believe  to  be  owing,  entirely,  to  the  manner  of 
bringing  up.  Here  we  see  the  thick  skulled  plodding  Dane, 
making  a  wooden  dish ;  or  else  some  of  the  most  ingenious 
making  a  very  clumsy  ship  :  while  others  submitted  to  the 
dirtiest  drudgery  of  the  hulk,  for  money ;  and  there  we  see 
a  Dutchman,  picking  to  pieces  tarred  ropes,  which,  when 
reduced  to  its  original  form  of  hern:>,  they  call  oakum  ;  or 
else  you  see  him  lazily  stowed  away  in  some  corner,  with 
his  pipe,  surrounded  with  smoke,  and  "  steeping  his  senses 
in  forge  (fulness ;"  while  here  and  there,  and  every  where, 
you  find  a  lively  singing  Frenchman,  working  in  hair;  or 
carving  out  of  a  bone,  a  lady,  a  monkey,  or  the  central  fig- 
ure of  the  crucifixion  !  Among  the  specimens  of  American 
ingenuity,  I  most  admired  their  ships,  which  they  built  from 
eight  inches  to  five  feet  long.  Some  of  them  were  said  by 
the  navy  officers,  to  be  perfect,  as  regarded  proportion,  and 
exact,  as  it  regarded  the  miniature  representation  of  a  mer- 
chantman, sloop  of  war,  frigate,  or  ship  of  the  line.  By  the 
specimens  of  ingenuity  of  these  people,  of  different  nations, 
you  could  discover  their  respective  ruling  passions. 

Had  not  the  French  proved  themselves  to  be  a  very  brave 
people,  1  should  have  doubted  it,  by  what  I  observed  of 
them  on  board  the  prison-ship.  They  would  scold,  quarrel 
and  fight,  by  slapping  each  other's  chops  with  the  flat  hand, 
and  cry  like  so  many  girls.  I  have  often  thought  that  one 
of  our  Yankees,  with  his  iron  fist,  could,  by  one  blow,  send 
monsieur  into  his  nonentity.  Perhaps  such  a  man  as  Napo- 
leon Bonaparte,  could  make  any  nation  courageous ;  but 
there  is  some  difference  between  courage  and  bravery.  I 
have  been  amused,  amid  captivity,  on  observing  the  volatile 
Frenchman  singing,  dancing,  fencing,  grinning  and  gamb- 
ling, v^hiie  the  American  tar  lifts  his  hardy  front  and  weath- 
5* 


JOURNAL. 


er  beaten  countenance,  despising  them  all',  but  the  dupe  of 
them  all ;  just  about  as  much  disposed  to  squander  his  money 
among  girls  and  fiddlers,  as  the  English  sailor  ;  but  never 
so  in  love  with  it,  as  to  study  the  arts,  tricks  and  legerde- 
main to  obtain  it.  I  have,  at  times,  wondered  that  the  hard 
fisted  Yankee  did  not  revenge  impositions  on  the  skulls  of 
some  of  these  blue-skinned  sons  of  the  old  continent.  Is 
there  not  a  country,  where  there  is  one  series  or  chain  of 
impositions,  from  the  Pope  downwards  ?  There  is  no  such 
thing  in  the  United  States.  That  is  a  country  of  laws  ; 
and  their  very  sailors  are  all  full  of  «  rights"  and  "wrongs ;" 
of  "justice  and  injustice;"  and  of  defining  crimes,  and  as- 
certaining "  the  butts  and  bounds"  of  national  and  individ- 
ual rights. 

It  was  a  pleasant  circumstance,  that  I  could  now  and 
then  obtain  some  entertaining  books.  I  had  read  most  of 
D.n,an  Swift's  works,  but  had  never  met  with  his  celebrated 
allegory  of  John  Bull,  until  I  found  it  on  board  this  prison- 
ship.  I  read  this  little  work  with  more  delight  than  I  can 
express.  I  had  always  heard  the  English  nation,  including 
kings,  lords,  commons,  country  squires,  and  merchants,  call- 
ed "John  Bull,"  but  I  never  before  knew  that  the  name 
originated  from  this  piece  of  wit  of  Dean  Swift's.  Now  I 
learnt,  for  the  first  time,  that  the  English  king,  court  and 
nation,  taken  collectively,  were  characterized  under  the 
name  of  John  Bull ;  and  that  of  France  under  the  name  of 
Louis  Baboon ;  and  that  of  the  Dutch  of  Nick  Frog  ;  and 
that  of  Spain  under  Lord  Strut ;  that  the  church  of  England 
was  called  John's  mother  ;  the  parliament  his  WIFE  ;  and 
Scotland  his  poor,  ill-treated,  raw-boned,  mangy  Sister  Peg, 
While  I  was  shaking  my  sides  at  the  comical  characteristi- 
cal  painting  of  the  witty  Dean  of  St.  Patrick,  the  French- 
men would  come  around  me  to  know  what  the  book  con- 
tained, which  so  much  tickled  my  fancy ;  they  thought  it 
was  an  obscene  book,  and  wished  some  one  to  translate  it 
to  them :  but  all  they  could  get  out  of  me  was  the  words 
>c  John  Bull  and  Louis  Baboon  .'" 

It  is  now  the  30th  of  November,  a  month  celebrated  to  a 
proverb  in  England,  for  its  gloominess.  We  have  had  a 
troubled  sky  and  foggy  for  several  weeks  past.  The  pleas- 
-ant  prospect  of  the  surrounding  shores  has  been  obscured  a 
sreat  portion  of  this  month.  The  countenances  of  our  com- 
panions partake  of  our  dismal  atmosphere,  It  has  even  so- 


JOURNAL.  59 

bered  our  Frenchmen  ,*  they  do  not  sing  and  caper  as  usual ; 
nor  do  they  swing  their  arms  about,  and  talk  with  strong 
emphasis  of  every  trifle.  The  thoughts  of  home  obtrude 
upon  us  ;  and  we  feel  as  the  poor  Jews  felt  on  the  bank* 
of  the  Euphrates,  when  their  task-masters  and  prison-keep- 
ers insisted  upon  their  singing  a  song.  We  all  hung  wp  our 
fiddles,  as  the  Jews  did  their  harps,  and  sat  about,  here  and 
there,  like  barn-door  fowls,  when  molting. 

Our  captivity  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Medway,  border- 
ed with  willows,  brought  to  my  mind  the  plaintive  song  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  in  captivity  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
Euphrates,  which  psalm,  among  others,  I  used  to  sing  with 
my  mother  and  sisters,  on  Sunday  evenings,  when  an  inno- 
cent boy,  and  long  before  the  wild  notion  of  rambling,  from 
a  comfortable  and  plentiful  home,  came  into  my  head.  It 
is  the  137th  Psalm,  Tate  and  Brady's  version. 

When  we  our  weary  limbs  to  rest 

Sat  clown  by  proud  Euphrates'  stream, 
We  wept,  with  doleful  thought*  opprest, 

And  Salem  was  our  mournful  theme. 

Our  harps,  that,  when  with  joy  we  sung, 

Were  wont  their  tuneful  parts  to  bear, 
With  silent  strings,  neglected  hung, 

On  willow  trees,  that  wither'd  there. 

Meanwhile  our  foes,  who  all  conspir'd 

To  triumph  in  our  slavish  wrongs, 
Music  and  mirth  of  us  required, 

il  Come,  sing  us  one  of  Zion's  songs." 

How  shall  we  tune  our  voice  to  sing  ? 

Or  touch  our  harps  with  skilful  hands  ? 
Shall  hymns  of  joy  to  GOD,  OUR  KING, 

Be  sung  by  slaves  in  foreign  lands  ? 

O,  SALEM  !  Our  once  happy  seat, 

When  I  of  thee  forgetful  prove, 
Let  then  my  trembling  hand  forget 

The  speaking  strings  with  art  to  move  h 

If  I,  to  mention  thee.  forbear, 

Eternal  silence  seize  my  tongue  ! 
Or  if  I  sing  one  cheerful  air, 

Till  my  deliverance  is  my  song". 


JOURNAL. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

I  COME  now  to  a  delicate  subject ;  and  shall  speak  ae* 
cordingiy,  with  due  caution ;  I  mean  the  character  and  con- 
duct of  Mr.  Beasly,  the  American  Agent  for  prisoners.  He 
resides  in  the  city  of  London,  thirty-two  miles  from  this 
place.  There  have  been  loud  .And  constant  complaints 
made  of  his  conduct  towards  his  £oimtrymen,  suffering  con- 
finement at  three  thousand  mrte*' distance  from  all  they  hold 
most  dear  and  valuable;  and  /He  but  half  a  day's  journey 
from  us.  Mr.  Beasly  knew  that  there  were  some  thousands 
of  his  countrymen  imprisoned  in  a  foreign  land  for  no  crime ; 
but  for  defending,  and  fighting  under  the  American  flag, 
that  emblem  of  national  independence,  and  sovereignty  ;  if 
he  reflected  at  all,  he  must  have  known  these  countrymen 
of  his  were,  in  general,  thinking  men  ;  men  who  had  homes, 
end  "nre  places."*  He  kuew  they  had,  some  of  them,  fa- 
thers and  mothers,  wives  and  children,  brothers  and  sisters, 
in  the  United  States,  who  lived  in  houses  that  had  "fire 
places"  and  that  they  had,  in  general,  been  brought  up  in 
more  ease  and  plenty  than  the  same  class  in  England ;  he 
knew  they  were  a  people  of  strong  affections  to  their  rela- 
tives, anu  strong  attachments  to  their  country  ;  and  he  might 
have  supposed  that  some  of  them  had  as  good  an  education 
as  himself ;  he  must,  or  ought  to  have  thought  constantly 
that  they  were  suffering  imprisonment,  deprivations  and  oc- 
casionally sickness  in  a  foreign  country,  where  he  is  spe- 
"  daily  commissioned,  and  placed  to  attend  to  their  comforts, 
relieve,  if  practicable  their  wants,  and  to  be  the  channel  of 
communication  between  them  arid  their  families.  The 
British  commander,  or  commodore  of  all  the  prison  ships  in 
this  river  visited  them  ail  once  a  month ;  and  paid  good  at- 
tention to  all  their  wants. 

When  we  first  arrived  here,  we  wrote  in  a  respectful  style 
to  Mr.  Beasly,  as  the  Agent  from  our  government  for  the 
prisoners  in  England.  We  glauced  at  our  sufferings  at 

*  Fire  places  gave  rank  among  the  Romans.  It  was  a  privilege  to 
fee  a  Roman  soldier,  and  in  the  best  days  of  Rome  no  man  was  al- 
Jovved  to  be  in  the  ranks  of  their  army,  \vho  had  not  a  Jire  place  in 
his  house.  In  the  reign  prior  to  Queen  Elizabeth,  there  were  scarcely 
any  beds,  or  brick  fire  places  in  the  houses  of  thy  common  people  of 
London, 


5 


JOURNAL.  61 

Halifax  ;  and  stated  our  extreme  sufferings  on  the  passage 
to  England,  and  until  we  arrived  in  the  river  Medway.  We 
remarked  that  we  expected  that  the  government  of  the 
United  States  intended  to  treat  her  citizens  in  captivity  in 
foreign  land  all  equally  alike.  We  represented  to  him 
hat  we  were,  in  general,  destitute  of  clothing,  and  many 
conveniences,  that  a  trifling  sum  of  money  would  obtain  ; 
that  we  did  not  doubt  the  good  will,  and  honopble  inten- 
tions of  our  government ;  and  that  he  doubtless  knew  of 
their  kind  intentions  towards  us  all. — Rut  he  never  returned 
a  word  of  answer.  We  found  that  all  those  prisoners,  wko 
had  been  confined  here  at  Chatham,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  bore  Mr.  Beasly  an  inveterate  hatred. 
They  accuse  him  of  an  unfeeling  neglect,  and  disregard  to 
1  heir  pressing  wants.  They  say  he  never  visited  them  but 
once  ;  and  that  then  his  conduct  gave  more  disgust,  thaa 
Iiis  visit  gave  pleasure.  "  Where  there  is  much  smoke 
there  must  be  some  fire."  The  account  they  gave  is  this—- 
that when  he  came  on  board,  he  seemed  fearful  that  they 
would  come  too  near  him ;  he  therefore  requested  that  ad- 
ditional sentries  might  be  placed  on  the  gangways,  to  keep 
the  prisoners  from  coming  aft,  on  the  quarter  deck.  He 
then  sent  for  one  of  their  number,  said  a  few  words  to  him 
relative  to  the  prisoners  ;  but  not  a  word  of  information  in 
answer  to  the  questions  repeatedly  put  to  him  ;  and  of 
which  we  were  all  very  anxious  to  hear.  He  acted  as  if 
lie  was  afraid  that  any  questions  should  be  put  to  him  ;  so 
that  without  waiting  to  hear  a  single  complaint,  and  with- 
out waiting  to  examine  into  any  thing  respecting  their  situ- 
ation, their  health,  or  their  wants,  he  hastily  took  his  de- 
parture, amidst  the  hooting  and  hisses  of  his  countrymen,  as 
he  passed  over  the  side  of  the  ship. 

Written  representations  of  the  neglect  of  this  (nominal) 
agent  for  us  prisoners,  were  made  to  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  which  we  sent  by  different  conveyances  ; 
but  whether  they  ever  reached  the  person  of  the  Secretary 
of  State,  we  never  knew.  Several  individuals  among  the 
prisoners  wrote  to  Mr.  Beasly  for  information  on  subjects  in 
which  their  comfort  and  happiness  were  concerned,  but  re- 
ceived no  answer.  Once,  indeed,  a  letter  was  received 
from  his  clerk,  in  an  imperious  style,  announcing  that  no 
notice  would  be  taken  of  any  letters  from  individuals; 
(which  was  probably  correct)  but  those  only  that  were  writ- 


§2  JOURNAL. 

tea  by  the  committee  collectively.  The  committee  accor- 
dingly wrote  ;  but  their  letter  was  treated  with  the  same 
silent  neglect.  This  desertion  of  his  countrymen,  in  their 
utmost  need,  excited  an  universal  expression  of  disgust,  if 
not  resentment.  Cut  off  from  their  own  country,  surround-* 
ed  only  by  enemies,  swindled  by  their  neighbors,  winter 
coming  on,  and  no  clothing  proper  for  the  approaching  sea- 
son, and  tUfe  American  agent  for  themselves  and  other  pris- 
oners, within  three  or  four  hours  journey,  and  yet  abandon- 
ed by  him  to  the  tender  mercies  of  our  declared  enemies,  it 
is  no  wonder  that  our  prisoners  detested,  at  length,  the  name 
of  Beasly.  We  made  every  possible  allowance  for  this  gen- 
tleman ;  we  said  to  each  other,  he  may  have  no  funds  ;  he 
may  have  the  will,  but  not  the  power  to  help  us  ;  his  com- 
mission, and  his  directions  may  not  extend  so  high  as  our 
expectations  ;  still  we  could  make  no  excuse  for  his  not 
visiting  us,  and  enquiring,  and  seeing  for  himself  our  real 
•ituation.  He  might  have  answered  our  letters  ;  and  en- 
couraged us  not  to  despair,  Uut  to  hope  for  relief;  he  might 
have  visited  us  as  often  as  did  the  English  Commodore, 
which  was  once  in  four  weeks  ;  but  he  should  not  have  in- 
sulted our  feelings,  the  only  time  he  did  visit  us,  and  hum- 
ble and  mortify  us  in  the  view  of  the  Frenchmen,  who  saw, 
and  remarked  that  our  agent  considered  us  no  more  than  so 
many  hogs.  The  Emperor  Napoleon  has  visited  some  of 
his  hospitals  in  cog.  has  viewed  the  situation  of  the  sick  and 
wounded ;  examined  their  food,  and  eaten  of  their  bread  ; 
and  once  threw  a  cup  of  wine  in  the  face  of  a  steward,  be- 
cause he  thought  it  not  good  enough  for  the  soldier ;  but — 
some  of  our  agents  are  men  of  more  consequence,  in  their 
own  eyes,  than  Napoleon  ! 

During  the  war  it  was  stated  to  our  government  thatm' 
thousand  two  hundred  andfifiy-se ve?i  seamen  had  been  press- 
ed and  forcibly  detained  on  board  British  ships  of  war. — 
Events  have  proved  the  correctness  of  this  statement ;  and 
this  slavery  has  been  a  subject  of  merriment,  and  a  theme 
for  ridicule  among  the  "federalists"  They  say  it  makes  no 
more  difference  to  a  sailor  what  ship  he  is  on  board,  than 
it  does  to  a  hog  v/hat  stye  he  is  in.  Others  not  quite  so 
brutal,  have  said — "  hush  1  it  may  be  so  ;  but  we  must 
"  bear  it ;  England  is  mistress  of  the  Ocean ;  and  her  ex- 
"  istence  depends  on  this  practice  of  impressment ;  her  na- 
"  val  power  must  be  submitted  to — give  us,  merchant*, 


JOURNAL.  63 

i» 

«  commerce,  and  these  Jack  Tars  will  take  care  of  tliem- 
**  selves  ;  for  it  is  not  worth  while  to  lose  a  profitable  trade 
"  for  the  sake  of  a  few  ignorant  sailors,  who  never  liad  any 
"  rights  ;  and  who  have  neither  liberty,  property  or  homes, 
"  but  what  we  merchants  give  to  them." 
4  The  American  Seamen  on  board  the  Crown  Prince,  were 
chiefly  men  wlio  had  been  impressed  into  ike  British  Navy 
previous  to  the  war  ;  but  who,  on  hearing  of  the  Declaration 
of  War  against  Great  Britain  by  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  gave  themselves  up  as  prisoners  of  war  ;  but  instead 
of  being  directly  exchanged,  the  English  Government 
thought  it  proper  to  send  them  on  board  these  prison  ships 
to  be  retained  there  during  the  war  ;  evidently  to  prevent 
them  from  entering  into  our  own  navy.  It  should  be  re- 
membered that  they  wrere  all  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
sailing  in  merchant  ships  ;  and  yet  the  merchants,  at  least 
those  of  Boston,  and  the  other  New-England  seaports,  have, 
very  generally,  mocked  the  complaints  of  impressed  sea- 
men, and  derided  their  representations,  and  have  even  de- 
nied the  story  of  their  impressment.  Even  the  Governor 
of  Massachusetts  (Strong)  has  affected  in  his  public  speeches 
to  the  Legislature  to  represent  this  crying  outrage,  as  the 
mere  groundless  clamor  of  a  party  opposed  to  his  election  ? 
Whether  groundless  or  not,  I  will  venture  to  assert,  that 
the  names  of  many  of  the  leading  federalists  in  Massachu- 
setts, and  a  few  others  will  never  be  forgotten  by  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  prison  ships  at  Chatham,  at  Halifax,  and  in  the 
West  Indies. 

We  are  now  at  peace,  and  the  tide  of  party  has  so  far 
slackened,  that  we^can  tell  the  truth  without  the  suspicion 
of  political,  or  party  designs.  I  shall  relate  only  what  I 
have  collected  from  the  men  themselves,  who  were  never  in 
the  way  of  reading  our  newspapers,  or  of  "hearing  of  the 
speeches  of  i\\e  friends  of  the  British  in  Congress  ;  or  in  our 
State  Legislatures.  I  think  I  ought,  however,  here  to  pre- 
mise, that  my  family  were  of  that  party  in  Massachusetts 
called  Federal,  that  is,  we  voted  for  Governor  Strong,  and 
federal  Senators  and  Representatives;  our  clergyman  was 
also  federal,  and  preached  and  prayed  federally  ;  and  we 
read  none  but  federal  newspapers,  and  associated  with  none 
but  federalists  ;  of  course  we  believed  all  that  Governor 
Strong  said,  and  approved  all  that  our  Senators  and  Repre- 
sentatives voted,  and  believed  all  that  was  printed  ia  the 


JOURNAL. 


Boston  federal  papers.     The  whole  family,  and  myself  with 
them,  believed  all  that  Colonel  Timothy  Pickering  had 
written  about  impressment  of  seamen,  and  about  the  weak- 
ness, and  wickedness  of  the  President  and  administration ; 
we  believed  them  all  to  be  under  the  pay  and  influence  < 
Bonaparte,  who  we  knew  was  the  first  Lieutenant  of  Sa- 
tan.   We  believed  all  that  was  said  about  "  Free  trade  and 
sailors'1  rights,"  was  all  stuff  and  nonsense,  brought  forward 
by  the  Republicans,  whom  we  called  Democrats  and  Jaco- 
fans  to  gull  the  people  out  of  their  liberty  and  property,  in 
order  to  surrender  both  to  the  Tyrant  of  France.     We  be- 
lieved entirely  that  the  war  was  "  unnecessary"  and  «  wick- 
ed"  and  declared  with  no  other  design  but  to  injure  Eng- 
land and  gratify  France.     We  believed  also  that  the  whole 
of  the  administration,  and  every  man  of  the  Republican  par- 
ty from  Jefferson  and  Madison,  down  to  our —  was  either 
fool  or  knave.     If  we  did  not  believe  that  every  republican 
was  a  scoundrel,  we  were  sure  and  certain  that  every  scoun- 
drel was  a  republican.     In  some  points  our  belief  was 
ctrong  and  as  fixed  as  any  in  the  papal  dominions  ;  for  e 
ample— we  maintained  stiffly  that  Governor  Strong,  Lieut. 
Governor  Phillips,  H.  G.  Otis,  and  John  Lowell  and  Fran- 
cis Blake,  Esqrs.  were,  for  talents,  knowledge,  piety  and 
virtue,the  very  first  men  in  theUnited  States,  and  ought  to  be 
at  the  head  of  the  nation  :  or-to  express  it  all  in  one  word, 
as  my  sister  once  did,  «  Federalism  is  the  polities  of  a  GEN- 
TLEMAN, and  of  a  LADY;  but  Republicanism  is  thf  low  cant 
of  the  vulgar;  of  such  men  as  your  Tom  Jeffersons,   Jim 
Madisons,  and  John  Adams',  and  Col.  Monroes. 

With  these  expanded  and  enlightened  ideas  of  men  a 
thin°-s,"did  I, Pmgrthtw  Amcricanus,  quit  my  fathers  house 
easJVml  plenty,  to  make  a  short  trip  in  a  Privateer,  more 
for  a  frolic  than  for  any  thing  serious,  being  very  \ 
cerned  whether  I  was  taken  or  not,  provided  my  captui 
would  be  the  means  of  carrying  me  among  the  people  whan 
I  had  long  adored  for  their  superior  bravery,  magnanimity, 
religion,  knowledge,  and  justice;  which  opinions   I  nail 
bibed  from  their  own  writers,  in  verse  and  prose.    •«« 
the  federal  newspapers,!  had  dipped  into  ^  posthumoos 
works  of  Fisher  Ames,  enough  to  inspire  me  with  adora 
of  England,  abhorrence  of  France,  and  a  contempt   >r 
own  country;  or  to  express  ail  in  a  fewer  words  I  * 
eralist  of  the  Boston  stamp.     These  are  the  outline 


JOURNAL.  t 

preconceived  opinions,  which  I  carried  with  me  into  Mel- 
ville Prison,  at  Halifax.  I  was  not  the  only  one  by  many, 
who  entered  that  abode  of  misery  with  similar  notions.  How 
often  have  I  wished  that  Governor  Strong,  and  his  princi- 
pal supporters,  were  here  with  us,  learning  wisdom,  and  ac- 
quiring just  notions  of  men,  things  and  governments. 

But  to  return  from  the  Governor  and  Council,  and  other 
great  men  of  Massachusetts,  to  the  British  prison  ship  at 
Chatham.— The  British  had  been  in  the  habit  of  pressing 
the  sailors  from  our  merchant  ships,  ever  since  the  year 
1755.  The  practice  was  always  abhorred,  and  often  resist- 
ed, and  sometimes  even  unto  death.  We  naturally  inferred 
that,  with  our  independence,  we  should  preserve  the  persons 
of  our  citizens  from  violence  and  deep  disgrace  ;  for,  to  an 
American,  a  whipping  is  a  degradation  worse  than  death. — 
Since  the  termination  of  the  war  with  England,  which  guar- 
anteed our  independence,  the  British  never  pretended  to 
impress  American  citizens  ;  but  pretended  to  the  right  of 
entering  our  vessels,  and  taking  from  them  the  natives  of 
Britain  or  Ireland,  and  this  was  their  general  rule  of  con- 
duct ; — they  would  forcibly  board  our  vessels,  and  the  board- 
ing-officer, who  was  commonly  a  lieutenant,  completely 
armed  with  sword,  dirk,  and  loaded  pistols,  would  muster 
the  crew,  and  examine  the  persons  of  the  sailors,  as  a  plan- 
ter examines  a  lot  of  negroes  exposed  for  sale  ;  and  all  the 
thin,  puny,  or  sickly  men,  he  allowed  to  be  Americans — but 
all  the  stout,  hearty,  red  cheeked,  iron  fisted,  chesnut  col- 
ored, crispy  haired  fellows,  were  declared  to  be  British ;  and 
if  such  men  showed  their  certificates  of  citizenship,  and 
place  of  birth,  they  were  pronounced  forgeries,  and  the  un- 
fortunate men  were  dragged  over  the  side  into  the  boat,  and 
forced  on  board  his  floating  hell !  Not  a  day  in  the  year, 
but  there  occurred  such  a  scene  as  this,  somewhere  on  the 
seas ;  and  to  our  shame  be  it  spoken,  we  endured  this  out- 
rage on  man  through  the  administration  of  Washington, 
Adams*  and  Jefferson,  before  we  declared  war  to  revenge 
the  villany.  If  an  high  spirited  man,  thus  kidnap'd,  refused 
to  work,  he  was  first  deprived  of  victuals ;  and  if  starvation 
did  not  induce  him  to  work,  he  was  stripped,  and  tied  up, 

*  What  Mr.  Adams  has  written  on  this  subject,  has  put  impress* 
ment,  or  man-stealing,  beyond  all  future  controversy.  His  masterly 
pamphlet  was  a  warlike  trumpet  in  the  ears  of  our  nation, 

6 


6  JOURNAL. 

and  whipped  like  a  thief ! — and  many  a  noble  spirited  fel- 
low suffered  this  accursed  punishment.  If  he  seized  the 
first  opportunity,  as  he  ought,  to  run  away  from  his  tyrants, 
and  was  taken,  he  was  severely  whipped  ;  and  for  a  second 
attempt  the  punishment  was  doubled,  and  for  the  third  he 
was  hanged,  or  shot. 

It  happened  on  our  declaration  of  war,  chiefly  on  account 
of  this  atrocious  treatment  of  the  sailors,  that  thousands  of 
our  countrymen  had  been  impressed  into  the  British  navy, 
and  more  or  less  were  found  in  almost  every  ship  ;  most  of 
these  informed  their  respective  captains,  that  being  Ameri- 
can citizens,  they  could  not  remain  in  the  service  of  a  na- 
tion, to  aid  them  in  killing  ttoeir  brethren  ;  and  in  pulling 
down  the  flag  of  their  native  country.     They  declared  firm- 
ly, that  it  was  fighting  against  nature  for  a  man  to  fight 
against  his  native  land,  the  only  land  to  which  he  owed  a 
natural  duty.     Some   noble   British  commanders  admired 
their  patriotic  spirit,  and  permitted  them  to  quit  their  ships, 
and  go  to  prison  :  while  other  captains,  of  an  opposite  and 
ignoble  character,  refused  to  hear  their  declarations,  and  or- 
dered them  to  return  to  what  they  called  their  duty  ;  which 
they  accompanied  with  threats  of  severe  punishment  if  they 
disobeyed.     But  some,  whose  noble  spirits  would  have  hon- 
ored any  man,  or  station,  adhered  to  their  first  determina- 
tion, not  to  fight  against  their  own  brothers  ;  or  aid  in  pulling 
donm  the  flag  of  their  nation.     These  were  immediately  put 
in  irons,  and  fed  on  scanty  allowance  of  bread  and  water  ; 
for  if  any  thing  can  bring  down  the  high  spirit  of  an  hearty 
young  man,  it  is  the  slow  torture  of  hunger  and  thirst ;  when 
it  was  found  that  this  had  not  the  effect  of  debasing  the 
American  spirit,  the  young  sufferer  was  brought  upon  deck, 
and  stripped  to  his  waist,  and  sometimes  lower,  and  —  Oh  ! 
iny  pen  cannot  write  it  for  indignation  !  resentment,  and  a 
righteous  revenge  shakes  my  hand  with  rage,  while  I  at- 
tempt to  record  the  act  of  villany.     Yes,  my  countrymen 
and  my  countrywomen,  our  noble  minded  young  men,  brought 
up  in  more  ease  and  plenty  than  half  the  officers  of  a  Brit- 
ish man  of  war,  are  violently  stripped,  and  tied  fast  and  im- 
moveable  by  a  rope,  to  a  c-annon,  or  to  the  iron  railing  of 
what  is  called  the  gang-way,  and  when  he  is  so  fixed  as  to 
stretch  the  skin  and  muscles  to  the  utmost,  he  is  whipped  by 
a  long,  heavy  and  hard  knotted  whip,  four  times  more  for- 
midable and  heavy  than  the  whip  allowed  to  be  used  by  th* 


JOURNAL.  07 

carters,  truck,  or  carmen,  on  their  horses.  With  this  heavy 
and  knotted  scourge,  the  boatswain's  mate,  who  is  generally 
selected  for  his  strength,  after  stripping  off  his  jacket,  that 
he  may  strike  the  harder,  lashes  this  youn%  man,  on  his  del- 
icate skin,  until  his  back  is  cut  from  his  shoulders  to  his 
waist !  Few  men,  of  ordinary  feelings  of  humanity,  could 
bear  to  see,  without  great  emotion,  even  a  thief,  or  a  rob- 
ber, so  severely  punished.  But  what  must  be  the  feelings 
of  an  American,  to  see  such  a  cruel  operation  upon  the  body 
of  his  countryman,  of  his  mess-mate  and  companion  ?  We 
will  venture  to  say,  that  if  a  dog,  or  an  horse,  were  tied  fast 
to  a  post,  in  any  street  of  any  town  in  America,  and  lashed 
with  such  an  heavy  knotted  whip,  swung  by  the  strong 
arm  of  a  vigorous  man,  although  their  skins  were  covered 
and  defended  by  their  hair,  or  fur,  we  do  not  believe  that 
the  inhabitants  would  see  it  inflicted  on  the  poor  beast, 
without  carrying  the  whipper  before  a  magistrate,  to  answer 
for  his  cruelty.  Yet  what  is  the  whipping  of  a  beast,  de- 
void of  reason,  and  covered  with  fur,  to  this  severe  opera- 
tion upon  the  delicate  skin  and  flesh  of  one  of  our  young 
men  ?  And  all,  for  what  ?  For  nobly  maintaining  and  up- 
holding the  first  and  great  principle  of  our  nature.  Yet 
has  this  heroism  of  our  enslaved  seamen  been  overlooked ; 
and  even  derided  by  the  federal  merchant  and  the  federal 
politician,  and  the  federal  member  of  congress,  and  the  fed- 
eral clergyman!  Some  of  our  brave  fellows  have  been 
brought  upon  deck,  every  punishing  day,  and  undergone 
this  horrid  punishment,  three  or  four  times  over,  until  the 
crews  of  the  men  of  war  were  disposed  to  cry  out  shame, 
upon  their  own  officers!  Some  of  our  poor  fellows  could 
not  sustain  these  repeated  tortures,  which  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at,  and  have  finally  gone  to  work  as  soon  as  they 
recovered  from  their  barbarous  usage.  Others,  of  firmer 
frames  and  firmer  minds,  have  wearied  out  their  persecutors, 
whose  infernal  dispositions  they  have  defied,  and  triumphed 
over;  such  have  been  sent  out  of  the  ship  into  our  prison- 
ships  ;  and  here  they  are,  to  tell  their  own  story,  to  show  to 
iheir  countrymen  the  everlasting  marks  of  their  tormentors, 
the  British  navy  officers.  With  what  indignation,  rage  and 
horror,  have  I  seen  our  brave  fellows  actuated,  while  one  of 
these  heroes  of  national  rights,  and  national  character,  has 
been  relating  his  sufferings,  and  showing  his  degrading  scars, 
made  QH  his  body  by  the  accursed  whip  of  a  boatswain's 


€8  JOURNAL. 

mate,  by  order  of  an  infamous  captain  of  the  British  navy  t 
You  talk  of  peace,  friendship  and  cordiality  with  the  nation 
from  whom  most  of  us  sprang  !  It  is  well,  perhaps,  that  the 
two  nations  should  be  at  peace  politically  ;  but  can  you  ev- 
«r  expect  cordiality  to  subsist  between  our  impressed  and 
cruelly  treated  sailor,  and  a  British  navy  officer.  It  is  next 
to  impossible.  Our  ill  treated  sailor,  lacerated  in  his  flesh, 
wounded  in  his  honor,  and  debased  by  the  slavish  hand  of  a 
boatswain's  mate,  never  can  forget  the  barbarians ;  nor  ever 
can,  nor  ever  ought  to  forgive  them.  The  God  of  nature 
has  ordained  that  nations  should  be  separated  by  a  difference 
of  language,  religion,  customs,  and  manners,  for  wise  purposes  ; 
but  where  two  great  nations,  like  the  English  and  Ameri- 
can, have  the  same  language,  institutions  and  manners,  he 
may  possibly  have  allowed  the  devil  to  inspire  one  with  a 
portion  of  his  own  infernal  spirit  of  cruelty,  in  order  to  effect 
a  separation,  and  keep  apart  two  people,  superficially  resem- 
bling each  other. 

It  may  be  for  good  and  wise  purposes,  in  the  order  of 
Providence,  that  there  should  be  a  partition  wall  between 
us  and  Britain.  We  have  had  to  deplore  that  three  thou- 
sand miles  of  oeean  is  not  half  enough ;  for  avarice,  fashion 
and  folly,  are  continually  drawing  us  together ;  and  these 
often  drown  the  still  small  voice  of  patriotism,  whose  lan- 
guage is,  "  Come  out  of  her,  O  my  people .'"  There  is  nothing 
that  tends  so  strongly  to  keep  us  asunder,  as  the  different 
dispositions  of  the  two  people.  The  Americans  are  a  kind, 
Siumane,  tender-hearted  people,  as  free  from  cruelty  as  any 
nation  upon  earth  5  and  possessing  as  much  generosity  to- 
wards an  enemy  they  have  vanquished,  and  who  is  at  their 
mercy,  as  any  people  to  be  found  on  the  records  of  the  hu- 
man kind.  Their  laws  express  it ;  the  records  of  their 
courts  prove  it ;  the  history  of  the  war  illustrates  it ;  and  I 
hope  that  all  our  actions  declare  it.  We  may  change,  and 
become  as  hard  hearted  and  cruel  as  the  English.  It  may  be 
that  we  are  now  in  the  chivalrous  age,  or  that  period  of  our 
political  existence,  which  is  the  generous,  youthful  stage  of 
a  nation's  life  ;  this  may  pass  away,  and  we  may  sink  iiato 
the  cold,  phlegmatic,  calculating  cruelty  of  the  present  Bri~ 
tons ;  and  become,  like  them,  objects  of  hatred  to  our  own 
descendants.  Whatever  we  may,  in  the  course  of  degene- 
ration, beeome,  we  assert  it,  as  an  incontrovertible  fact, 
that  the  Britons  are  now,  and  have  been  for  many  gent1  r-v- 


JOURNAL.  69 

tions  past,  vastly  our  inferiors  on  the  score  of  polished  hu- 
manity. On  this  subject,  we  would  refer  the  reader  to  the 
History  of  England,  written  by  eminent  Englishmen  and 
Scotchmen,  and  to  Shakespeare's  historical  plays ;  and  to 
the  records  of  their  courts,  the  annals  of  Newgate,  and  of 
the  Tower  ;  and  to  their  penal  code,  generally  ;  but  above 
all,  to  their  horrid  ?nililary  punishments,  in  their  army,  and 
in  their  navy  ;  and  then  contrast  the  whole  with  the  his- 
tory of  America  ;  of  her  courts,  and  of  her  army,  and  navy 
punishments. 

We  would  not  indulge  invective,  nor  lightly  give  vent  to 
the  language  of  resentment;  but  truth  and  utility  compels 
us  to  speak  of  the  English  as  they  really  are.  Their  whole 
history  marks  them  a  hard  hearted,  cruel  race,  and  such  we 
prisoners  have  found  them.  We  will  not  have  recourse  to 
so  early  a  period  as  the  reign  of  Richard  the  3d,  or  Harry 
the  8th,  or  his  cruel  daughter  Mary,  but  we  refer  to  the  lat- 
ter part  of  Charles  2d,  a  reign  of  mirth,  frolic  and  unusual 
gaiety  of  heart,  and  not  a  period  of  austerity  and  gloom. 
The  iusiance  we  here  adduce,  was  not  the  furious  cruelty 
of  a  mob,  or  of  exasperated  soldiery  storming  a  town  ;  but  of 
courtiers,  privy  counsellors,  and  advisers  of  the  good  humor- 
ed Charles  the  2d. 

William  Carstares,  confidential  Secretary  to  King  Wil- 
liam, during  the  whole  of  his  reign ;  afterwards  Principal  of 
the  University  of  Edinburgh,  was  a  sincere  and  zealous 
friend  both  to  religious  and  civil  liberty,  and  he  lived  in 
reputation  and  honor  till  Dec.  28th,  1715,  This  worthy 
man  was  put  to  the  torture  before  the  privy  council,  in  the 
latter  end  of  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second.  The  Rev. 
Joseph  JVrCormick,  D.  D.  ^\ho  has  written  his  life,  and  de- 
tailed an  account  of  his  fortitude  and  sufferings  in  the  cause 
of  liberty,  says,  "•  that  all  his  objections  and  remonstrances 
being  over-ruled  by  the  majority  of  the  privy  counsel,  the 
public  executioner  was  called  upon  to  perform  his  inhuman 
office.  A  thumb-screw  had  been  prepared  on  purpose,  of  a 
peculiar  construction.  Upon  its  being  applied,  Mr.  Carsta- 
res maintained  such  a  command  of  himself  that,  whilst  the 
sweat  streaming  over  his  braw,  and  down  his  cheeks,  with 
the  agony  he  endured,  lie  never  betrayed  the  -smallest  incii- 
naiion  to  depart  from  his  first  resolution.  The  Earl  of 
eueens'ierry  was  so- affected,  that,  after  telling  the  chari 
cellor,  that  he  saw  that  the  poor  inaa  would  rather  die 


70 


JOURNAL,, 


than  confess,  he  stepped  out  of  the  council,  along-  witli  the 
duke  of  Hamilton,  into  another  room,  both  of  them  being  un- 
able longer  to  witness  the  scene  ;  whilst  the  inhuman  Perth 
sat  to  the  very  last,  without  discovering  the  least  symptom 
of  compassion  for  the  sufferer.  On  the  contrary,  when  the 
executioner,  by  his  express  order,  was  turning  the  screw 
with  such  violence,  that  Mr.  Carstares,  in  the  extremity  of 
bis  pain,  cried  out,  that  now  he  had  squeezed  the  bones  in 
pieces,  the  chancellor,  in  great  indignation,  told  him,  that, 
if  he  continued  longer  obstinate,  he  hoped  to  see  every  bone 
of  his  body  squeezed  to  pieces.  At  last,  finding  all  their  efforts 
by  means  of  this  machinery  fruitless,  after  he  had  continued  no 
less  than  an  hour  and  an  half  under  this  painful  operation, 
they  found  it  necessary  t<5  have  recourse  to  a  still  more  in- 
timidating species  of  torture.  The  executioner  was  order- 
ed to  produce  the  iron  boots,  and  apply  them  to  hia  legs ; 
but  happily  for  Mr.  Carstares,  whose  strength  was  now  al- 
most exhausted,  the  fellow,  who  was  only  admitted  of  late 
to  this  office,  and  a  novice  in  his  trade,  after  having  attempt- 
ed iri  vain  to  fasten  them  properly,  was  obliged  to  give  it 
over  ;  and  the  counsel  adjourned  for  some  weeks." 

If  to  this  shameful  account  we  add  their  cruelty  to  the 
vanquished  Scotch,  in  1745,  and  of  late  years  towards  the 
brave  Irish,  together  with  what  we  have  known  of  them  in 
the  revolutionary  war,  and  in  the  present  one,  we  can  feel 
no  pride  in  claiming  kindred  with  them.  They  are  a  slug- 
gish, cold,  hard-fibred  race  of  men,  on  whom  soft  and  delicate 
airs  of  music  make  no  agreeable  impression.  Loud  and  thun- 
dering sounds,  such  as  the  ringing  of  heavy  bells,  beating  of 
drums,  and  firing  of  cannon,  and  the  goihie  kourza  are  requi- 
site to  move  the  phlegm  that  surrounds  the  tough  heart 
©f  old  John  Bull. 

When  the  Algerines  captured  some  of  our  vessels,  and 
made  slaves  of  the  crew,  a  very  high  degree  of  sensibility 
was  excited.  It  was  the  theme  of  every  newspaper  and 
•ration,  and  the  subject  of  almost  every  conversation.  The- 
borror  of  Algerine  slavery  was  considered  as  the  ne  plus 
ultra  of  human  misery ;  but  it  has  so  happened,  that  we  have 
many  sailors  returned  again  to  their  country,  who  have  been 
enslaved  at  Algiers ;  and  have  been  impressed  and  detain- 
ed on.  board  British  men  of  war,  and  afterwards  thrown  into 
Sxek  osrison-sibins*  The  united  opinion  of  these  people  is, 
.Ibat  the  Algeriee  slavery  is  muck  more  tolerable  than  ike 


JOURNAL.  71 

British  slavery.  The  Algerines  make  the  common  sailors 
work  from  six  to  eight  hours  in  the  day  ;  but  they  give  them 
very  goood  vegetable  food,  and  enough  of  it ;  and  lodge 
them  in  airy  places  ;  and  always  dispose  the  officers  accord- 
ing to  their  rank  ;  whereas  the  British  seem  to  take  a  de- 
light in  confounding  and  mixing  together,  the  officers  \vith 
their  men.  As  to  their  punishments  among  themselves,. 
they  will  cut  off  a  man's  head ;  and  strangle  him  with  a  bow- 
string, in  a  summary  manner;  but  a  Turk,  or  Algerine, 
would  sicken  at  the  sight  of  a  whipping  in  the  navy  ;  and 
in  the  army  of  the  Christian  king  of  England.  There  is  no 
nation  upon  this  globe  of  earth  that  treats  its  soldiers  and 
eailors  with  that  degree  of  barbarity  common  to  their  camps, 
garrisons  and  men  of  war;  for  what  they  lack  in  the  num- 
ber of  lashes  on  board  a  ship,  they  make  up  in  the  severity 
of  infliction,  so  as  to  render  the  punishment  nearly  equal  to 
the  Russian  knout. 

If  any  one  is  curious  to  see  British  military  flogging  treat- 
ed scientifically,  I  would  refer  him  to  chapter  xii,  vol.  2d, 
of  Dr.  R.  Hamilton's  Duties  of  a  Regimental  Surgeon,  from 
page  22  to  82.  The  reading  of  it  is  enough  to  spoil  an  hun- 
gry man's  dinner.  We  there  read  of  the  suppuration,  and 
stench  that  follow  after  seven  or  eight  hundred  lashes ;  and 
that  some  men  have  complained  that  its  offensiveness  was 
almost  equal  to  the  whipping.  We  there  read  of  the  sur- 
geon discharging  a  pound  and  a  half  of  matter  from  an  ab- 
scess, formed  in  consequence  of  a  merciless  punishment.-— 
The  reader  may  also  be  entertained  with  the  discussion, 
whether  it  is  best  to  wash  the  cats  clear  from  the  blood,  (for 
the  executioners  lay  on  twenty -five  strokes,  and  then  ano. 
ther  twenty -five,  and  so  on,  till  the  nine  hundred  or  a  thou- 
sand, ordered,  are  finished)  or  whether  it  is  best  to  let  the 
blood  dry  on  the  knots  of  the  whip,  in  order  to  make  it  cut 
the  sharper.  There,  too,  you  may  learn  the  advantage  of 
having  the  naked  wretch  tied  fast  and  firm,  so  that  he  may 
not  wring  and  twist  about  to  avoid  the  torture,  which,  hef 
says,  if  not  attended  to,  may  destroy  the  sight,  by  the  whip 
cutting  his  eyes ;  or  his  cheeks  and  breasts  may  be  cut  for 
want  of  this  precaution.  He  says,  however,  that  in  those 
regiments,  who  punish  by  running  the  gauntlet,  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  prevent  the  man  from  being  cut  from  the  nape 
of  the  neck  to  his  hams.  You  will  there  find  a  description 
of  a  neat  contrivance*  used  at  Gibraltar,  which  was  com- 


712 

pounded  of  the  stocks  and  the  pillory.  The  seldiers  legs 
were  held  firm  in  two  apertures  of  a  thick  plank,  while  his 
body  and  head  were  bent  down  to  a  plank  placed  in  a  per- 
pendicular direction,  to  receive  the  man's  head,  and  two 
more  apertures  to  confine  his  arms.  In  this  immoveable 
posture,  human  beings,  Englishmen,  Irishmen  and  Scotchmen, 
have  had  their  flesh  lacerated  for  more  than  half  an  hour  I 
But  the  Doctor  informs  us,  that  the  men  did  not  like  this 
new  contrivance,  as  it  checked  their  vociferation  and  in- 
jured their  lungs  ;  so  it  was  discontinued ;  and  they  return- 
ed again  to  the  halherts,  where  their  hands  were  tied  up  over 
their  heads.  Some  of  these  poor  wretches  have  been  known 
.to  gnaw  the  flesh  of  their  own  arms,  in  the  agonies  of  tor- 
ture ;  and  many  of  them  have  died  with  internal  impost  umes. 

AMERICANS  !  think  of  these  barbarities,  and  bless  the 
memories  of  those  statesmen  and  warriors,  who  have  sepa- 
rated you,  as  a  nation,  from  a  cruel  people,  who  have  nei- 
ther bowels  of  compassion,  nor  any  tenderness  of  feeling,  for 
the  soldier,  or  the  sailor.  They  value  them,  and  care  for 
them  on  the  same  principle  that  we  value  a  horse,  and  no 
more,  merely  as  an  animal  that  is  useful  to  them.  I  have  for 
some  time  believed  that  America  would  be  the  grave  of  the 
British  character.  Our  free  presses  dare  speak  of  their  mili- 
tary whippings,  without  fearing  the  punishment  inflicted  on 
the  Editor  of  their  Political  Register,  as  drawn  by  one  of 
themselves.* 

Those  pressed  men  liberated  from  the  British  men  of  war, 
and  sent  on  board  this  ship,  the  Crown  Prince,  that  is,  sent 
from  one  prison  to  another,  are  large,  well  made,  fine  look- 
ing fellows,  for  such  they  usually  select  as  Englishmen. — 
Same  of  them  were  men  of  colour.  The  following  anec- 
dote does  honor  to  the  character  of  Sir  Sidney  Smith,  as 
well  as  to  that  of  our  brave  tars.  Sir  Sidney  was  then  ofT 
Toulon.  On  the  news  reaching  the  crew  that  the  UNITED 
STATES  had  declared  war  against  England,  all  the  Ameri- 
cans on  board  had  determined  not  to  fight  against  their  coun- 
try, or  aid  in  striking  its  flag ;  they  therefore  asked  permis- 
sion to  speak  with  Sir  Sidney,  who  permitted  them  to  come 
altogether  on  the  quarter  deck  ;  they  told  him  they  were  all 

*  If  any  man  wishes  to  eee  the  true  character  of  the  English,  let 
him  read  the  3th  chapter  of  HUME'S  History  of  England,  especially 
wliLi-e  it  treats  of  severities  and  barbarities  toward  the  virtuous  Mr, 
PRYM. 


JOURNAL. 

Americans  by  birth,  and  impressed  against  their  will  into 
the  British  service ;  and  forcibly  detained;  that  although 
they  had  consented  to  do  the  duty  of  Englishmen  on  board 
his  ship,  they  could  not  fight  against  their  own  country.— 
"  Nor  do  I  wish  you  should?  was  the  answer  of  this  gallant 
knight.  On  being  reminded  by  one  of  his  officers,  that  they 
were  nearly  all  petty  officers — he  observed  to  them,  that 
they  had  been  promoted  in  consequence  of  their  good  be- 
haviour; and  that  if  they  could,  as  he  hoped  they  would, 
reconcile  themselves  to  the  service,  he  should  continue  to 
promote  them,  and  reward  their  good  behaviour.  They 
thanked  him;  but  assured  him  that  it  was  against  their 
principles,  as-  Americans,  and  against  a  sense  of  duty  towards 
their  beloved  country,  to  fight  against  their  brethren,  or  to  aid 
in  pulling  down  the  emblem  of  their  nation's  sovereignty.  He 
promised  to  report  the  business  to  his  superiors ;  and  turning 
to  one  of  his  officers,  said,  "  I  wish  all  Englishmen  were  as 
strongly  attached  to  their  country,  as  these  Americans  are  to 
theirs^ 

Another  instance  of  a  British  commander,  the  opposite  of 
this,  is  worth  relating.  I  give  it  as  the  sufferer  related  it  to 
us  all ;  and  as  confirmed  by  other  testimony  beside  his  own. 
The  man  declared  himself  to  be  an  American,  and  as  such, 
asked  for  his  discharge.  The  captain  said  he  lied;  that  he 
was  no  American,  but  an  Englishman ;  and  that  he  only 
made  this  declaration  to  get  his  liberty ;  and  he  ordered  him 
to  be  severely  whipped ;  and  on  every  punishing  day,  he 
was  asked  if  he  still  persisted  in  calling  himself  an  Ame- 
rican, and  in  refusing  to  do  duty  ?  The  man  obstinately 
persisted.  At  length  the  captain  became  enraged  to  a  high 
degree ;  he  ordered  the  man  to  be  stripped,  and  tied  up  to 
the  gratings,  and  after  threatening  him  with  the  severest 
flogging  that  was  in  his  power  to  inflict,  he  asked  the  man 
if  he  would  avoid  the  punishment,  and  do  his  duty  ?  "  Yes," 
said  the  noble  sailor,  "  I  will  do  my  duty,  and  that  is  to  blow 
iip  your  ship  the  very  first  opportunity  in  my  power"  This 
was  said  with  a  stern  countenance,  and  a  corresponding 
voice.  The  captain  seemed  astonished,  and  first  looking 
over  his  larboard  shoulder,  and  then  over  his  starboard 
shoulder,  said  to  his  officers,  "  this  is  a  damn'd  queer  fellow ! 
I  do  not  believe  lie  is  an  Englishman.  I  suppose  he  is  crazy  ; 
so  you  ?nay  unlash  him,  boatswain  :"  and  he  was  soon  after 
•ent  out  of  that  ship  into  this  prison-ship.  This  man  will 
carry  tiie  marks  of  the  accursed  cat  to  his  grave ! 


74  JOURNAL. 

O,  ye  Tories  !  ye  Federalists,  ye  every  thing  but  what 
you  should  be,  who  have  derided  the  sufferings  of  the  sailor, 
and  mocked  at  his  misery — had  you  one  half  of  the  heroic 
virtue  that  filled  and  sustained  the  brave  heart  of  this  noble 
sailor,  you  would  cease  to  eulogize  these  tyrants  of  the 
ocean,  or  to  revile  your  own  government  for  drawing  the 
sword,  and  running  all  risks  to  redress  the  wrongs  of  the  op- 
pressed sailor.  The  cruel  conduct  of  the  British  ought  to 
be  trumpeted  through  the  terraqueous  globe ;  but  we  would 
feign  cover  over,  if  possible,  the  depravity  of  some  few  of 
our  merchants  and  politicians,  who  regard  a  sailor  in  the 
same  light  as  a  truckman  does  his  horse. 

Several  of  these  impressed  men  have  declared,  that  m 
looking  back  on  their  past  sufferings,  on  board  English  men 
of  war,  and  comparing  it  with  their  present  confinement  at 
Chatham,  they  feel  themselves  in  a  Paradise.  The  ocean, 
the  mirror  of  heaven,  is  as  much  the  element  of  an  Ameri- 
can as  an  Englishman.  The  gr^at  Creator  has  given  it  to 
us,  as  well  as  to  them ;  and  we  will  guard  its  honor  accord- 
ingly, by  chasing  cruelty  from  its  surface,  whether  it  shall 
appear  in  the  habit  of  a  Briton  or  an  Algerine. 


CHAPTER  V. 

IT  is  now  the  last  day  of  the  year  1813;  and  we  live 
pretty  comfortably.  Prisoners  of  war,  confined  in  an  old 
man-of-war  hulk,  must  not  expect  to  sleep  on  beds  of  down ; 
or  to  fare  sumptuously  every  day,  as  if  we  were  at  home 
with  our  indulgent  mothers  and  sisters.  All  things  taken 
into  consideration,  I  believe  we  are  nearly  as  well  treated 
here,  in  the  river  Medway,  as  the  British  prisoners  are  in 
Salem  or  Boston;  not  quite  so  well  fed  with  fresh  meat,  and 
a  variety  of  vegetables,  because  this  country  does  not  ad- 
mit of  it.  We  nevertheless  do  suffer  as  we  did  at  Halifax; 
and  above  all,  we  suffered  on  board  the  floating  dungeons, 
the  transports,  and  store-ship  Malabar,  beyond  expression. 

All  the  Frenchmen  are  sent  out  of  the  ship,  excepting 
about  forty  officers;  and  these  are  all  gamblers,  ready  and 
willing,  aud.able  to  fleece  us  all,  had  we  ever  so  much  m»» 


JOURNAL. 

ney.  I  wonder  that  the  prison-ship-police  has  not  put  down 
this  infamous  practice.  It  is  a  fomenter  of  almost  all  the 
evil  passions ;  of  those  particularly  which  do  the  least  hon- 
or to  the  human  heart  Our  domestic  faction  have  uttered 
a  deal  of  nonsense  about  a  French  influence  in  America. — 
By  what  I  have  observed  here,  I  never  can  believe  that  the 
French  will  ever  have  any  influence  to  speak  of,  in  the 
United  States.  We  never  agreed  with  them  but  in  one 
point,  and  that  was  in  our  hatred  to  the  English.  There  we 
united  cordially ;  there  we  could  fight  at  the  same  gun  ;  and 
there  we  could  mingle  our  blood  together.  The  English 
may  thank  themselves  for  this.  They,  with  their  friends 
and  allies,  the  Algerincs  and  the  Savages  of  our  own  wild- 
erness, have  made  a  breach  in  that  great  Christian  family, 
whose  native  language  was  the  English ;  which  is  every 
year  growing  wider  and  wider. 

January,  1814. — We  take  two  or  three  London  newspa- 
pers, and  through  them  know  a  little  what  is  going  forward 
in  the  world.  We  find  by  them  that  Joanha  Southcote, 
and  Molenaux,  the  black  bruiser,  engross  the  attention  of 
the  most  respectable  portion  of  John  Bull's  family.  Not 
only  the  British  officers,  but  the  ladies  wear  the  orange  col- 
ored cockade,  in  honor  of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  because  the 
Dutch  have  taken  Holland.  The  yellow,  or  orange  color, 
is  all  the  rage;  it  has  been  even  extended  to  the  clothing 
of  the  prisoners.  Our  sailors  say  that  it  is  because  we  are 
under  the  command  of  &  yellow  Admiral,  or  at  least  a  yellow 
Commodore,  which  is  about  the  same  thing. 

About  this  time  there  came  on  board  of  us  a  recruiting; 
sergeant,  to  try  to  enlist  some  of  our  men  in  the  service  of 
the  Prince  Regent.  He  offered  us  sixteen  guineas  ;  but  he 
met  with  no  success.  Some  of  them  "  bored"  him  pretty 
well.  We  had  a  very  good  w:ll  to  throw  the  slave  over- 
board ;  but  as  we  dare  not,  we  contented  ourselves  with 
telling  him  what  a  flogging  the  Yankees  would  give  him 
and  his  platoon,  when  they  got  over  to  America. 

About  five  hundred  prisoners  have  recently  arrived  in  this 
"ra/c/*,"from  Halifax.  There  are  between  one  hundred 
and  fifty  and  two  hundred  of  Colonel  Boestler's  men,  who 
were  deceived,  decoyed,  and  captured  near  Beaver  Dams, 
on  the  twenty-third  of  June,  1813.  These  men  were  prin- 
cipally frum  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland.  It  is  difficult  to 
describe  their  wretched  appearance;  and  as  difficult  to  nar- 


7 6  JOURNAL* 

rate  their  suffering  on  the  passage,  without  getting  into  a 
rage,  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  an  impartial  jour- 
nalist. 

To  the  everlasting  disgrace  of  the  British  government, 
and  of  a  British  man  of  war,  be  it  known,  that  these  misera- 
ble victims  to  hardheartedness,  were  crowded  together  in 
the  black  hole  of  a  ship,  as  we  were,  just  like  sheep  in  a 
sheep-fold,     "they  allowed  but  two  to  come  upon  deck  at  a 
time.     They  were  covered  with  nastiness,  and  overrun  with 
vermin  ;  for  these  poor  creatures  were  not  allowed  to  wash 
their  clothes,  or  themselves.     O,  how  my  soul  did  abhor  the 
English,  when  I  saw  these  poor  soldiers  !    It  is  no  wonder 
that  people  who  only  see  and  judge  of  the  Americans  by 
the  prisoners,  that  they  conceive  us  to  be  a  horde  of  sava- 
ges.    They  see  us  while  prisoners,  in  the  most  degraded  and 
odious  light  that  we  ever  before  saw  or  felt  ourselves  in.  ^  I 
can  easily  conceive  how  bad  and  scanty  food,  dirt,  vermin, 
and  a  slow  chronical  disease,  or  low  spirits,  may  change  the 
temper  and  character  of  large  bodies  of  men.     I  would  ad- 
vise all  my  countrymen,  should  it  ever  be  their  hard  lot  to  be 
again  in  British  bondage,  to  exert  themselves  to  appear  as 
clean  and  smart  in  their  persons,  as  their  situation  will  pos- 
sibly admit.     That  I  may  not  be  accused  of  pronouncing 
the  English  a  cruel  people,  without  proving  my  assertions,  I 
will  here  ask  my  reader  to  have  recourse  to  the  speech  of 
Sir  Robert  Heron,  made  in  Parliament,  in  April,  1816,  where 
he  recites  the  treatment  of  the  poor  in  the  alms-houses  at 
Lincoln.     After  a  painful  recital  of  the  miserable  state  of  the 
work-house  in  that  city,  he  mentioned  "  that  there  were  five 
cells  strongly  guarded  with  iron  bolts,  not  for  the  reception 
of  lunatics,  but  for  the  punishment  of  such  poor  persons  as 
might  fall  into  any  transgression.     In  each  of  these  were 
strong  iron  staples  in  the  wall  and  floor,  to  which  the/wor 
delinquent  was  chained.     Among  several  instances  of  cruel- 
ty, the  worthy  Baronet  mentioned  that  a  Chelsea  pensioner, 
seventy  years  of  age,  and  totally  blind,  had  been  for  a  whole 
fortnight  chained  to  the  flocr,  because  he  had  been  drunk! 
"That  a  very  young  girl,  having  contracted  a  certain  disease, 
had  been  chained  in  a  similar  manner  to  the  floor,  lest  she 
should  contaminate  others.     Would  it  be  believed,  said  Sir 
Robert  to  the  House,  that  one  chain  fixed  round  her  body, 
had  been  weighed,  and  was  found  no  less  than  twenty-eight 
pounds  weight!"—  From  what  I  have  heard  of  the  generous 


•mURNAtr, 

turn  of  the  Prince  Regent,  his  sympathetic  heart  would  be 
I   moved  to  compassion  for  these  two  frail  mortals,  the  one  very 
old,  the  -other  very  young.     But  what  are  we  to  think  of 
his  master,  the  magnanimous  John  Bull  ?     I  believe  a  sol- 
dier feels  more  of  the  martial  spirit  when  in  uniform,  than  in 
a  loose  drab  coat.     The  same  feeling  may  extend  to  a  judge 
,   in  his  robes,  and  to  a  parson  in  his  gown.     They  all  may 
i   feel  braver,  wiore  consciencious,  and  pious,  for  this  "  out- 
1  ward  and  visible  sign,"  of  what  the  inward  ought  to  be. 

These  poor  soldiers  were,  of  all  men  among  us,  the  most 
!  miserable  ;  they  had  suffered  greatly  for  want  of  good  and 
fufficient  food ;  as  six  of  them  had  to  feed  on  that  quantity 
Which  the  British  allowed  to  four  of  their  own  men.  By 
what  we  could  gather,  the  most  barbarous,  the  most  unfeel- 
ing neglect,  and  actual  ill  treatment,  was  experienced  on 
board  the  Nemesis.  This  ship  seems,  like  the  Malabar,  to 
be  damned  to  everlasting  reproach.  I  forgot  to  enquire 
whether  her  Captain  and  her  Surgeon  were  Scotchmen. 

We  turn  with  disgust  and  resentment  from  such  ships  as 
ihe  Regulus,  the  Malabar,  and  the  Nemesis,  and  mention 
with  pleasure  the  P&ictiers,  of  74  guns.  The  captain  and 
officers  of  this  ship  behaved  to  the  prisoners  she  brought, 
with  the  same  kindness  and  humanity,  as  I  presume  the  cap- 
tain, officers  and  crew  of  an  American  man  of  war  would 
towards  British  prisoners.  They  considered  our  men  as  liv- 
ing, sensitive  beings,  feeling  the  inconveniences  of  hunger 
and  thirst,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  gratifications  of  these  in- 
stinctive appetites  i  they  seemed  to  consider,  also,  that  we 
were  rational  beings  ;  and  it  is  possible  they  may  have  sus- 
pected that  some  of  us  might  have  had  our  rational  and  im- 
provable faculty  increased  by  education ;  they  might,  more- 
over, have  thought  we  had,  like  them,  the  powers  of  remi- 
nescence,  and  the  same  dispositions  to  revenge ;  or  they 
might  not  have  thought  much  on  the  subject,  but  acted 
from  their  own  generous  and  humane  feelings.  I  wish  it 
were  in  my  power  to  record  the  names  of  the  officers  of  the 
Poictiers.  Of  this  ship  we  can  remark,  that  she  had  long 
Ucr-n  on  the  American  station }  long  enough  to  know  the 
|  American  character,  and  to  respect  it.  Her  officers  had  a 
I  noble  specimen  of  American  bravery  and  humanity,  when 
<he  American  sloop  Wasp  took  the  British  sloop  Frolic, 
aad  both  were  soon  after  taken  by  the  Poictiers,  The  hu- 
mane, and  we  dare  say,  brave  Capt.  Btrcsfard,  has  the  hom- 


19  JOURNAL. 

age  of  respect  for  his  proper  line  of  conduct  towards  those 
Americans  whom  the  fortune  of  Avar  put  under  his  com- 
mand. We  drank  the  healths,  in  the  best  beer  we  could 
get,  of  the  captain,  officers  and  crew,  of  his  Britannic  Ma- 
jesty's line  of  battle  ship,  Poicticrs. 

That  we  may  not  be  thought  to  accuse  the  British  of 
barbarity  without  proof,  we  shall  give  an  instance  of  their 
shocking  inhumanity  towards  the  inhabitants  of  Canada,  in 
the  year  1759,  when  their  army  was  under  the  command  of 
a  Wolfe,  extracted  from  Knox's  historical  journal  of  the 
British  campaign  in  Canada,  p.  322,  vol.  1st,  dedicated  by 
permission  to  Gen.  Anchers.  "  Yesterday  Capt.  Starks 
brought  in  two  prisoners,  one  of  them  a  lad  of  fifteen  years 
of  age,  the  other  a  man  of  forty,  who  was  very  sullen,  and 
who  would  not  answer  any  questions.  This  officer  also 
took  two  male  children,  and,  as  he  and  his  party  were  re- 
turning, they  saw  themselves  closely  pursued  by  a  much  su- 
perior body,  some  of  whom  were  Indians,  (probably  the  fa- 
ther and  mother  of  the  young  children,  and  other  relatives,  and 
a  fen  humane  Indians] — he  wished  to  be  freed  from  the  chil- 
dren, as,  by  their  innocent  cries  and  screeches,  they  directed 
the  pursuers  where  to  follow.  Capt.  Stark's  lieutenant 
made  many  signs  to  them  to  go  away  and  leave  him,  but 
they  not  understanding  him,  still  redoubled  their  lamenta- 
tions, and  finding  them  hard  pressed,  he  gave  orders  that  the 
infants  should  be  taken  aside  and  KILLED,  which  was 
clone"  !  !  ! — What  is  the  reason,  this  diabolical  barbarity  was 
never  before  condemned  in  print  ?  The  reason  is  plain — 
tlicy  were  the  children  of  Frenchmen.  This  shocking  deed 
was  perpetrated  by  the  officers  of  General  Wolfe's  army,  ;md 
published  by  one  of  his  captains,  under  the  sanction  of  Lord 
Amherst ! 

It  may  be  tedious  to  our  readers,  especially  if  they  be 
British,  but  we  cannot  yet  leave  the  subject  of  the  inhuman 
treatment  of  the  American  prisoners  of  war,  while  on  their 
passage  from  Halifax  to  Chatham  The  condition  of  the 
soldiers  was  the  most  deplorable.  Some  of  these  men  were 
born  in  the  interior,  and  had  never  seen  the  salt  ocean ; 
they  enlisted  in  Boestler's  regiment,  and  were  taken  by  the 
British  and  Indians,  somewhere  between  fort  Geprge  and 
York,  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada.  They  were  preth 
much  stripped  of  their  clothing,  soon  after  they  were  lu!;<.-;i. 
and  their  march  to  Montreal  was  conducted  with  very  little 


JOURNAL 

regard  to  their  feelings ;  but  when  sick,  they  were  well  at- 
tended to  by  the  medical  men  of  the  enemy  ;  their  passage 
from  Quebec  to  Halifax,  down  the  river  St.  Lawrence, 

:  was  barbarous.  They  suffered  for  victuals,  clothes,  and  ev- 
«ry  other  conveniency.  The  men  say  that  they  had  more 
instances  of  real  kindness  from  the  Indians,  than  from  the 

'  British.  But  on  their  passage  across  the  Atlantic,  their 
situation  was  horrible,  as  may  be  well  supposed,  when  it  is 
considered  that  these  soldiers  had  never  been  at  sea,  and  of 
course  could  not  shift,  and  shirk  about,  as  the  sailors  call  it, 
as  could  the  seamen ;  they  were  of  course,  sea  sick  ;  and 
were  continually  groping  and  tumbling  about  in  the  dark 
prison  of  a  ship's  hold.  They  suffered  a  double  portion  of 
misery  compared  with  the  sailors,  to  whom  the  rolling  of 
the  ship  in  a  gale  of  wind,  and  the  stench  of  bilge-water, 
were  matters  of  no  grievance ;  but  were  serious  evils  to 
these  landsmen,  who  were  constantly  treading  upon,  or  run- 
ning against,  and  tumbling  over  each  other.  Many  of  them 
were  weary  of  their  lives;  and  some  layed  down  dejected 
in  despair,  hoping  never  to  rise  again.  Disheartened,  and 
of  course  sick,  these  young  men  became  negligent  of  their 
persons,  not  caring  whether  they  ever  added  another  day  to 
their  wretched  existence;  so  that  when  they  came  on  board 
the  prison  ship,  they  were  loathsome  objects  of  disgust.  A 
mother  could  not  have  known  her  own  son;  nor  a  sister  her 
brother,  disguised  and  half  consumed  as  they  were,  with  a 
variety  of  wretchedness.  They  were  half  naked,  ami  it 
was  now  the  middle  of  winter,  and  within  thirty  miles  of 
London,  in  the  nineteenth  century  ;  an  era  famous  for  bible 
societies,  for  missionary  and  humane  societies,  and  for  all 
proud  boastings  of  Christian  and  evangelical  virtue;  under 
the  reign  of  a  king  and  prince,  renowned  for  their  liberality 
and  magnanimity  towards  French  catholics;  (but  not  Irish 
ones,)  and  towards  Ferdinand  the  bigot,  his  holiness  the 

i   Pope,  and  the  venerable  institution  of  the  hob)  Inquisition. 

;   Alas!  poor  old  John  Bull!  though  art  in  thy  dotage,  with 

I  thy  thousand  ships  in  the  great  salt  ocean;  and  thy  half  a 
dozen  victorious  ones  in  the  Serpentine  River,  alias  the 
splendid  gutter,  dug  out  in  Hyde  Park,  for  the  amusement 
of  British  children  six  feet  high !  Can  the  world  wondev 

|  that  AMERICA,  in  her  present  age  of  chivalry,  should  knock 
over  these  doating  old  fellows,  and  make  them  the  derision  of 
the. 


80  JOURNAL. 

I  can  no  otherwise  account  for  this  base  treatment  of  the 
Americans,  than  by  supposing  that  the  British  government 
had  concluded  in  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1813,  that 
America  could  not  stand  the  tug  of  war  with  England ;  that 
MADISON  was  unpopular ;  and  that  the  federalists,  or  British 
faction  in  America,  were  prevailing,  especially  in  New-Eng- 
land ;  and  that,  being^  sure  of  conquest,  they  should  com- 
mence the  subjugation  of  the  UNITED  STATES  by  degrading 
its  soldiery  and  seamen  ;  as  they  have  the  brave  Irish. — 
They  may  have  been  led  into  this  error  by  our  federal 
newspapers,  which  are  generally  vehicles  of  misinformation. 
The  faction  may  impede,  and  embarrass  for  a  time ;  but 
they  never  can  long  confine  the  nervous  arm  of  the  Amer- 
can  Hercules. 

Candor  influences  me  to  confess,  that  there  were  more 
attempts  than  one,  to  rise  and  take  these  men  of  war  trans- 
ports. I  find  that  several  experiments  were  made,  but  that 
they  were  always  betrayed,  by  some  Englishman,  or  Irish- 
man, that  had  crept  into  American  citizenship.  I  hope  the 
time  is  not  far  off,  when  we  shall  reject  from  our  service  ev- 
ery man  not  known  absolutely  to  have  been  born  in  the 
United  States.  Whenever  these  foreigners  get  drunk,  they 
betray  their  partiality  to  their  own  country,  and  their  dis- 
like of  ours.  1  hope  our  navy  never  will  be  disgraced  or 
endangered  by  these  renegadoes.  Every  man  is  more  or 
less  a  villain,  who  fights  against  his  own  country.  The 
Irish  are  so  ill  treated  at  home,  that  it  is  no  wonder  that 
they  quit  their  native  soil,  for  a  land  of  more  liberty  and 
plenty  ;  and  they  are  often  faithful  to  the  country  that  adopts 
them  ;  but  never  trust  an  Englishman,  and  above  all  a  Scotch- 
man. It  is  a  happy  circumstance  that  America  wants  nei- 
ther. She  had  rather  have  one  English  manufacturer  than 
:m  hundred  English  sailors.  We  labor  under  the  inconven- 
ience of  speaking  the  same  language  with  the  enemies  of  our 
rising  greatness,  I  know  by  my  own  personal  experience, 
that  English  books,  published  since  our  revolutionary  war, 
iiave  a  pernicious  tendency  in  anglifying  the  American 
character.  I  Lave  been  amused  in  listening  to  the  wrang- 
ling conversation  of  an  English,  Irish  and  American  sailor, 
when  all  three  were  half  drunk;  and  this  was  very  often  the 
case  during  this  month  of  January,  as  many  of  our  men  who 
had  been  in  the  British  naval  service,  received  payment 
tsora  government;  and  this  filled  our  abode  with  noise,  rio*.-. 


JOURNAL. 

Confusion,  and  sometimes  fighting.  The  day  was  spent  in 
gambling,  and  the  night  in  drunkenness;  for  now  all  would 
attempt  to  forget  their  misery,  and  steep  their  senses  in  for- 
geifuiness.  The  French  officers  among  us,  seldom  indulged 
in  drinking  to  excess.  Our  men  said  they  kept  sober  in  or- 
der to  strip  the  boozy  sailor  of  his  money,  by  gambling. 

While  the  Frenchmen  keep  sober,  the  American  and  Eng- 
lish sailor  would  indulge  in  their  favorite  grog.  In  tins  re- 
spect, I  see  no  difference  between  English  and  American. 
Over  the  can  of  grog,  the  English  tar  forgets  .ill  his  hardships 
and  his  slavery — yes,  slavery  ;  for  where  is  there  a  greater 
slavery  among  white  men,  than  that  of  impressed  English- 
men on  board  of  one  of  their  own  men  of  war  ?  The  Ameri- 
can, over  his  grog,  seems  equally  happy,  and  equally  forget- 
ful of  his  Inrsh  treatment.  The  Englishman,  when  hisskin. 
is  full  of  grog,  glows  with  idolatry  for  his  country,  and  his  fa- 
vorite lass ;  and  so  does  the  American :  The  former  sings 
the  victories  of  Bembow,  How,  Jervase  and  Nelson ;  while 

|  the  latter  sing  the  s^me  songs,  only  substituting  the  names  of 
Treble,  Hull,  Decatur  and  Bainbridge,  Perry  and  Maedon- 

,  ough.  Our  men  parodied  all  the  English  national  songs. — • 
"  Rule  Britannia^  rule  the  waves"  was  "  Rule  Columbia"  &c, 
*'  God  save  great  George,  our  Ring"  was  sung  by  our  boys, 
44  God  save  great  Madison  ;"  for  every  thing  like  federalism 
was  banished  from  our  hearts  and  ears  ^  whatever,  wcr  were 
before,  we  were  all  staunch  Madisonians  in  a  foreign  land. 
The  two  great  and  ruling  passions  among  the  British  sailor* 
and  the  American  sailorsj  seemed,  precisely  the  same,  viz. 
love  of  their  country -,  and  love  uf  the  fair  sex.  These  two  sub- 
jects alone  entered  into  all  their  songs,  and  seemed  to  be  the 
only  deae  objects  of  their  soub,  when  half  drunk..  On  these 
two  strings  hang  all  our  nation's  glory  ,\  while,  to  my,  surprize, 
I  found,  or  thought  1  found,  that  the  love  of  money  was  that 
string  which  vibrated  oftenest  in  a  Frenchman's  heart ;  but 
I  may  be  mistaken ;  all  the  nation  may  not  be  gamblers.-— 
Rememl  er,  politicians,  philosophers,  admirals,  and  generals,, 
that  Love  and  Patriotism  are  the  two,  and  I  almost  said,  the 

I  only  two  passions  of  that  class  of  men,  who  are  destined  to 
carry  your  flag  in  triumph  ajound  the  terraqueous  gtobe,  by 
skillfully  controlling  the  powers  of  the  winds,  and  of  vapor. 

One  word  more,  before  I  quit  this  national  trait   *The 
English  naval  muse,  which  I  presume  must  be  &  Mermaid, 
fcaif  woman  and  half  fasb,  has,  by  her  simpkyaud  hail'  the 
f* 


llm^,  nonsensical  songs,  done  more  for  the  British  dag 
all  her  gunnery ,  or  naval  discipline  and  tactics.  This  in- 
spiration of  the  tenth  muse,  with  libations  of  grog,  have  ac- 
tually made  the  English  believe  they  were  invincible  on  the 
ocean,  and,  what  is  still  more  extraordinary,  the  French  and 
Spaniards  were  made  to  believe  it  also.  This  belief  con- 
stituted a  magical  circle,  that  secured  their  ships  from  destruc- 
tion, until  two  American  youths,  -Isaac  Hull,  from  Connecti- 
cut, and  Oliver  H.  Perry,  from  Rhode-Island,  broke  this 
spell  by  the  thunder  of  their  cannon,  and  annihilated  the 
delusion.  Is  not  this  business  of  national  songs  a  subject  of 
some  importance  ?  Love  and  Patriotism^  daring  amplifica- 
tion, with  here  and  there  a  dash  of  the  supernatural,  are  all 
that  is  requisite  in  forming  this  national  band  of  naval  music, 
We  all  know  that  "  Yankee  Doodle?*  is  the  favorite  national 
tune  of  America,  although  it  commenced  with  the  British4 
officers  and  Tories,  in  derision,  in  the  year  1775.  When 
that  animating  tune  is  struck  up  in  our  Theatres,  it  electri- 
fies the  pit  and  the  upper  galleries.  When  our  soldiers  are 

hig  to  that  tune,  they  "  tread  the  air."  "  With  that 
time,"  said  general  M — ,  the  same  gallant  officer,  who  took 
nine  pieces  of  cannon  from  the  British,  planted  on  an  emi- 

,  at  the  battle  of  Bridgewater — "nith  that  tune  tiuse 
tvcidd  follow  me  into  hell,  and  pull  the  devil  by  the 
nose."  For  want  of  native  compositions,  we  had  sung  Brit- 
ish songs  until  we  had  imbibed  their  spirit,  and  the  feelings 
and  sentiments  imbibed  in  our  youth,  are  apt  to  stick  to  us 
through  life.  It  is  high  time  we 'had  new  songs  put  in  our 
mouths. 

Unless  we  attend  to  the  effects  of  these  early  impressions, 
it  is  almost  incredible,  the  number  of  false  notions  that  we  im- 

aml  carry  to  our  graves.     A  considerable  party  in  the 

.1  Lilts  have  sung  Nelson's  victories,  until  those  vie- 
toi-li  s  seemed  to  be  their  own.  Even  on  the  day  of  the  cele- 
?)ration  of  the  Peace,  the  following  Ode  was  sung  in  the  hall 
of  tm1  University  cf  Cambridge — ;i  captain  and  a  lieutenant 
of  the  navy  being  among  the  invited  guests.  It  was  writ- 
ten by  the  son  of  the  keeper  of  the  States  Prison,  hi  Massa- 
chusetts. 

ODE.  cCtfo 

COLUMBIA  and  Britannia 

1  TO,..  \<  ;  rfai'fc  r,vilcT; 
iSo  more  in  battle's  rage  they  meet, 


JOURNAL. 

The  parent  and  the  child. 
Each  gallant  nation  now  lament 
The  heroes  who  have  died. 

But  the  brace,  on  the  wave, 

Shall  yet  in  friendship  ride, 

To  baar  BRITANNIA'S  ancient  name, 

J).nd  swell  COLUMBIA'S  pride* 

The  flag-staff  of  COLUMBIA 

Shall  be  her  mountain  Pine  ; 

Her  Commerce  on  the  foaming  sea 

Shall  be  her  golden  mine. 

Her  wealth  from  every  nation  borne, 

Shall  swell  the  ocean  wide, 

*4nd  the  brave,  o?i  the  wave,  &c.  fcc- 

To  Britain's  Failh  and  Prowefs, 

Shall  distant  nations  bow, 

The  Cross  upon  her  topmast  head, 

The  Lion  at  her  prow. 

No  haughty  foe  shall  dare  insult, 

No  bifidd  deride ; 

For  the  brave,  on  the  wave,  £c.  &C, 

For  now  the  kindred  nations 
Shall  wage  the  fight  no  more  ; 
No  more  in  dreadful  thunder  da.ch 
The  billows  to  the  shore: 
Save  when  in  firm  alliance  bound 
Some  common  foe  defied  ; 

Then  the  brave,  on  the  leave,  kc.  &c. 

This  captivity  in  a  foreign  land,  has  been  to  me  a  season 
of  thoughtfulness.  Sometimes  I  thought  1  was  like  a  des- 
pised Jew,  among  the  sons  of  the  modern  Babylon",  which  I 
mi^ht  have  sunk  under,  but  for  the  first  principles  of  a  se- 
rious education ;  for  I  was  born  and  educated  in  the  state  of 
Massachusetts,  near  an  hundred  miles  from  Boston.  The 
subject  of  education  has  greatly  occupied  my  mind,  and  I 
rejoiced  that  1  was  born  in  that  part  of  the  United  States, 
where  it  is  most  attended  to.  It  is  an  injury  to  our  national 
character,  that  most  of  the  books  we  read  in  early  life,  were 
written  by  Englishmen ;  as  with  their  knowledge  we  imbibe 
their  narrow  prejudices.  The  present  war,  has,  in  a  degree, 
corrected  this  evil;  but  time  alone  can  effect  al!  we  wish. 

A  dispute  arose  between  us  a  ml  our  commander,  relative 
to  th.e  article  of  bread,  which  served  to  show  Englishmen 
how  tenacious  we,  Americans,  are  on  what  we  consider  to 
be  our  rights. 


JOURNAL. 

Whenever  the  contractor  omitted  to  send  us  off  soft  breadg. 
provided  the  weather  did  not  forbid,  the  said  contractor  for- 
feited half  a  pound  of  bread  to  each  man.  The  prisoners 
•were  not  acquainted  with  this  rule,  until  they  were  informed 
of  it  by  the  worthy  captain  Hutchinson ;  and  they  determined 
to  enforce  the  regulation  on  the  next  act  of  delinquency  of 
the  contractor.  This  opportunity  soon  occurred.  He  omit- 
ted to  send  us  otf  soft  bread  in  fair  weather;  our  commander, 
Mr.  O.  thereupon  ordered  us  to  be  served  with  hard  ship 
bread.  This  we  declined  accepting,  and  contended  that  the 
contractor  was  bound  to  send  us  oif  the  soft  bread,  with  an. 
additional  haif  pound,  which  he  forfeited  to  us  for  his  breach 
of  punctuality.  Now  the  contractor  had  again  and  again-, 
incurred  this  forfeiture,  which  went  into  Mr.  O's  pocket,  in- 
stead of  our  stomachs,  and  this  mal-practice  we  were  resolved 
to  correct.  Our  commander  then  swore  from  the  teeth  out- 
wards, that  if  we  refused  his  hard  bread,  we  should  have  none; 
and  we  swore  from  the  teeth,  inwardly,  that  we  would  adhere 
to  our  first  declaration,  and  maintain  our  rights.  Finding  us 
obstinate,  he  ordered  us  all  to  be  driven  into  the  pound  by 
the  marines,  and  the  ladder  drawn  up.  Some  of  the  prison- 
ers, rather  imprudently,  cast  some  reflections  on  Mr.  O.  and 
his  family ;  in  consequence  of  which,  he  ordered  us  all  to  be 
driven  below,  and  the  hatches  closed  upon  us;  and  i:e  rep- 
resented to  the  commodore  that  the  prisoners  xvere  in  a  state- 
of  mutiny.  He  was  so  alarmed  that  he  sent  the  female  part 
of  his  family  on  shore  for  safety,  and  requested  a  reinforce- 
ment of  marines.  At  the  same  time  we  made  a  representa- 
tion to  the  commodore,  and  stated  our  grievances,  in  our  own 
way,  and  we  demanded  the  extra  half  pound  of  soft  bread, 
forfeited  by  the  contractor.  In  all  this  business  we  were  as 
fierce  and  as  stuoborn,  and  talked  as  big  as  a  combination  o£ 
collegians,  to  redress  bad  commons.  We  remained  in  this 
situation  two  days ;  one  from  each  mess  going  o»  deck  for  a 
supply  of  water,  was  all  the  intercourse  we  hud  with  our  su- 
periors. During  all  thi&  time,  we  found  we  had'- got  hold  o£ 
the  heaviest  end  of  the  timber.  We  found  it  very  hard  con- 
tending against  increasing  hunger,  and  should  have  been- 
very  glad  of  a  few  hard  biscuit.  Some  began  to- grow  slack 
in  their  resistance-;  arid  even  the  most  obstinate  allowed 
their  ire  to  cool  a  tittle..  To  lay  such  an  embargo*  on  our 
own  bowels  was,  be  sure,  a  pretty  tough  piece  of  self-denial ; 
for  we  found,,  in  all  our  sufferings,  thut  bread  was?  the 


JOURNAL.  85 

«>f  life.  We  were  about  taking  the  general  opinion  by  a  vote, 
whether  it  was  best  to  eat  hard  biscuit,  or  starve  ?  Just  as 
we  were  about  taking  this  important  vole,  in  which,  I  sus- 
pect, we  should  have  been  unanimous,  the  commodore  and 
capt.  Hutchinson  came  on  board  to  inquire  into  the  cause  of 
the  dispute ;  and  this  luck}7,  and  well  timed  visit,  saved  our 
credit ;  and  established  the  Yankee  character  for  inflexibility, 
beyond  all  doubt  or  controversy.  These  two  worthy  gen- 
tlemen soon  discovered  that  Mr.  O.  had  made  representations 
not  altogether  correct.  They  therefore  ordered  the  hatches 
to  be  taken  off,  arid  proper  bread  to  be  served  out,  and  so 
the  dispute  ended. 

What  added  to  our  present  satisfaction  was,  that  Mr. 
my  Lord  Beady  was  to  allow  us  two  pence  half  penny  sterl- 
ing per  day,  for  coffee,  tobacco,  &C**  We  now,  to  use  the 
sailor's  own  expressive  phrase,  looked  up  one  or  two  points 
nearer  the  wind  than  ever. 

That  Mr.  O.  had  been  in  the  royal  navy  from  his  infancy, 
and  now,  at  the  age  of  fort}'  five,  ranks  no  higher  than  alieu- 
tennant.  He  once  commanded  a  sloop,  and  had  the  char- 
acter of  severity.  He  had  an  amiable  wife  and  many  child- 
ren, who  lived  in  the  prison  ship.  Lieut.  O.  was  not  the 
wisest  man  in  all  England.  He  exercised  his  cunning,  it 
was  said,  in  making  money  out  of  his  station ;  but  lie  was 
under  the  immediate  controul  of  two  honorable  gentlemen, 
otherwise,  it  is  probable,  we  should  have  felt  more  instances 
ef  his  revenge  than  he  dared,  at  all  times,,  show, 


CHAPTER  VI. 

IT  Is  now  the  last  day  of  February,  1814.  The  severity 
of  an  English  winter,  which  is  generally  milder  than  the 
winters  of  New-England,  is  past;  and  we  are  as  comforta- 
ble as  can  be  expected  on  board  a  prison  ship ;  we  have  a 
few  cents  a  day  to  buy  coffee,  sugar  or  tobacco ;  add  to  these, 
we  have  the  luxury  of  newspapers,  which  is  a  high  gratifi- 
cation to  the  well  known  curiosity  of  a  genuine  Yankee,  by 
which  cant  term  we  always  mean  a  New-England  man.  We 
have  been  laughed  at,  by  the  British  travellers,  for  our  in»at» 


£6  JOURNAL., 

iahle  curiosity  ;  but  such  should  remember,  that  their  great 
moralist,  Johnson,  tells  us  that  curiosity  is  the  thirst  of  the 
soul,  and  is  a  never-failing  mark  of  a  vigorous  intellect.  The 
Hottentot  has  no  curiosity — the  woolly  Africafi  has  no  curi- 
osity— the  vacant  minded  Chinese  lias  no  curiosity— but  the 
brightest  sons  of  Old  England  and  New,  are  remarkable  for 
it ;  insomuch  that  they  are  often  the  dupes  of  it.  How  many 
thousand  guineas  a  year  are  acquired  by  artful  foreigners,  in 
feeding  this  appetite  of  oar  relation,  the  renowned  John 
Bufi?  and  yet  he  is  never  satisfied;  his  mouth  is  open  still, 
and  so  wide,  very  lately,  that  Bonaparte  had  like  to  have 
jumped  into  it,  suit  and  all ! ! 

We  should  have  taken,  perhaps,  more  satisfaction  in  the 
perusal  of  these  newspapers,  had  they  not  been  so  excessive- 

ensive.  We  took  the  -Statesman,  the  Star,  and  BsWs 
ITecri'if  Messenger;  and  some  part  of  the  time,  the  Whig. 
The  expense  of  the  Statesman  was  defrayed  by  the  sale  of 
g;reen  fish  to  the  contractor.  The  Star  was  taken  by  the 
Frenchmen ;  the  Whig  and  Bell's  Weekly  Messenger,  by 
individuals.  We  paid  twenty-eight  shillings  sterling  per 
month,  for  the  Statesman,  which  is  twice  the  price  of  a  news- 
paper in  Boston,  for  a  whole  year.  Besides  it  costs  us  six- 
teen shillings  per  month  to  get  these  papers  conveyed  on 
board.  The  reader  will  probably  say,  in  the  language  of 
Dr.  Franklin's  allegory,  that  considering  our  destitute  con- 
dition, "  we  paid  dear  for  our  whistle."  These  newspapers 
were  smuggled,  or  pretended  to  be  smuggled;  our  comman- 
der's pocket  was  not  the  lighter  for  New-England  "  quid- 
nuiiritfin.'"  But  every  day  afforded  instances  of  meanness ; 

u:  misery  to  the  bone,  for  a  few  pence. 

•led  States  is  the  region  of  all  regions  of  the  earth 
for  newsoapers.  There  are  more  newspapers  printed  in  tlie 
Uni;.til  Stales,  than  in  all  the  rest  of  the  world  besides.  We 
do  not  mean  a  greater  number  of  copies  of  the  same  title, 
but  a  greater  number  of  different  titles;  insomuch,  that  in- 
vention is  nearly  exhausted  to  afford  them  new  names.  In 
"England,  newspapers  pay  a  very  high  tax  ;  in  America,  they 
*  rfectly  free,  and  their  transport  by  the  mails  is  nearly 
so;  and  this  is  because  our  government,  that  is  to  say,  the 


-aer  reading  animal  f*    The  sums  which  vv 


JOURNAL.  o7 

prisoners  paid  tor  one  English  newspaper  a  year,  would  have 
paid  the  annual  board  of  a  man  in  the  interior  of  our  own 
plentiful  country.  I  am  firmly  of  opinion,  however,  that 
Boston  has  and  will  have  reason  to  curse  her  federal  news- 
papers. They,  like,  the  "  Courier"  and  "  Times"  of  Lon- 
don have  spread  false  principles,  and  scattered  error  amongst 
a  people  too  violently  prejudiced  to  read  both  sides  of  the 
question. 

I  thought  that,  at  this  time,  we  were  as  happy,  or  as  free 
from  misery,  as  at  any  time  since  our  captivity.  The  plea- 
sant season  was  advancing,  the  days  growing  longer,  and  the 
nights  shorter,  and  our  condition  seemed  improving,  when  a 
dreadful  calamity  broke  out  upon  us ;  I  mean  the  Small 
pox.  There  are  no  people  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  who 
have  such  a  dread  of  this  distemper  as  the  people  of  New- 
England.  Their  laws  and  their  municipal  regulations  prove 
this.  No  person  can  remain  in  his  own  house  with  this  dis- 
order; but  certain  municipal  officers  take  charge  of  him,  and 
convey  him  to  the  small  pox  hospital,  provided  by  the  laws 
for  the  reception  of  such  patients.  If  the  disorder  has  pro- 
gressed so  far  as  to  render  it,  in  the  opinion  of  physicians, 
dangerous  to  life  to  remove  him,  then  the  street,  where  he 
lives,  is  fenced  up,  and  a  guard  placed  so  that  no  one  can 
pass,  and  a  red  flag  is  hoisted  on  the  house.  These  formida- 
ble precautions  may  have  added  to  the  dread  of  this  loath- 
gome  disease. 

When  this  alarming  distemper  first  appeared  in  the  ship, 
the  surgeon  had  all  the  prisoners  mustered,  to  inquire  of  them 
who  had  had  the  small  pox,  and  who  the  kine  pock;  or,  as 
they  call  it  in  England,  the  cow  pock.  He  vaccinated  a  num- 
ber. But  there  were  several  instances  of  persons  who  said 
they  were  inoculated  with  the  kine  pock  in  America,  who 
took  the  small  pox  the  natural  way  at  this  time.  1  do  not 
consider  this  as,  in  any  degree  diminishing  the  value  of  tins 
important  discover;^  and  practice.  Very  few1  practitioner* 
understand  this  business;  and  a  great  number  of  people  .in 
the  United  States  have  inoculated  themselves,  without 
knowing  at  what  period  to  take  the  matter;  and  without 
knowing  the  true  pustule  from  the  spurious.  Many  of  our 
prisoners  absolutely  refused  to  be  vaccinated,  although  they 
believed  in  its  efficacy  of  guarding  them  from  small  pox.  I 
was  great iy  surprised  at  this,  until  1  found  that  they  felt  no 
disposition  to  preserve  their  lives  any  longer.  It  seemed 


88  .JOURNAL. 

that  their  misery  hail  so  far  lessened  their  attachment  to  life, 
that  they  were  indifferent  as  to  any  method  of  preserving  it. 
1  was  surprized  to  find  this  in  some  who  I  had  considered  as 
nmong  the  most  cheerful.  I  was  shocked  to  find  among  these 
a  weight  of  woe  I  little  expected.  Several  of  them  told  me 
that  fife  was  a  burthen ;  that  pride  of  character  kept  them 
from  whining,  and  forced  a  smile  on  their  countenance,  while 
their  being  penned  up,  like  so  many  dirty  hogs,  had  chilled 
their  souls,  and  sunk  them,  at  times,  into  despondency.  Some 
said,  that  nothing  but  the  hope  of  revenge  kept  them  alive. 
There  are  two  extremes  of  the  mind  producing  a  disregard 
for  life.  The  one  is,  the  fever  or  delirium  of  battle,  aug- 
mented and  kept  up  by  the  cannon's  roar,  the  sight  of  blood, 
and  military  music ;  here  a  man,  being  all  soul,  thinks  noth- 
ing of  his  body.  The  other  case  is,  where  his  body  is  de- 
bilitated,  his  spirit  half  extinguished,  and  his  soul  desponding, 
and  his  body  paralized.  Here  existence  is  a  burden,  arid 
the  attachment  to  life  next  to  nothing.  It  is  here  that  death 
appears  to  open  the  gate  of  the  prison.  I  found,  to  my  sur- 
prize, that  several  of  our  countrymen  were  in  this  desponding 

state. 

Some  refused  to  be  vaccinated,  from  a  persuasion  that  the 
kiae  pock  was  no  security  against  the  small  pox.  When  I 
endeavoured  to  convince  several  of  them  of  their  error,  one 
asked  me  if  a  weak  man  could  drive  away  u  strong  one;  or 
a  small  evil  drive  away  a  great  one  ?  A  man  need  not  des- 
pair in  making  a  certain  class  of  people  believe  any  thing 
but  truth. 

It  is  surprizing  that  when  our  countryman.  Dr.  \\  aterhouse, 
first  introduced  this  new  inoculation  into  America,  in  the 
year  1800,  what  an  opposition  the  practice  met  with;  and 
nothing  but  the  most  persevering  raid  unwearied  exertions, 
and  public  experiments,  coukl  overcome  the  reluctance,  iu 
numbers,  to  receive  this  great  blessing.  The  same  pervers- 
ity of  judgwient  was  observable  among  individuals  in  this 

prison  ship. 

As  the  .spring  advanced,  the  men,  contrary  to  my  expec- 
tation, became  more  desponding,  and  the  Typlms  fever,  or 
rather  the  jail  fever,  appeared  among  them.     From  four  to 
six  are  taken  down  with  it  every  day.     We  have  about  tun 
hundred  men  on  board  this  ship ;  eight  hundred  of  us  v 
ed  prisoners,  and  one  hundred  Englishmen.     We  are  wo 
crowded  than  is  consistent  witb  health,  or  comfort 


JOURNAL..  89 

hammocks  are  slung  one  above  another.  It  is  warm  and 
offensive  in  the  middle  of  our  habitation ;  and  those  who 
have  hammocks  near  the  ports,  are  unwilling  to  have  them 
open  in  the  night.  All  this  impedes  the  needful  circulation 
of  fresh  air.  It  is  a  little  singular,  that  it  is  the  robust  and 
hearty  that  are  seized  with  this  fever,  before  those  who  are 
weak  in  body,  and,  apparently,  desponding  in  mind. 

As  the  appropriate  hospital-ship  is  now  crowded  with 
sick,  we  are  obliged  to  retain  a  number  in  the  Crown  Prince. 
The  sick  bay  of  this  ship  is  now  arranged  like  to  an  hospital 
ship;  and  the  hospital  allowance  served  out;  and  the  chief 
surgeon  visits  us  every  week.  Our  committee,  composed  of 
the  oldest  and  most  respectable  men  amongst  us,  do  every 
thing  in  their  power  to  keep  the  ship  and  the  prisoners  clean. 
Men  are  appointed  to  inspect  the  prisoners'  clothes  and  bed- 
ding ;  and  even  to  punish  those  who  refused,  or  were  too 
indolent  to  wash  themselves  and  their  clothing ;  for  there 
were  some  who  were  more  like  hogs  than  men ;  such  is  the 
effects  of  situations  and  circumstances.  Our  most  influential 
men  set  the  example  of  cleanliness ;  and  endeavoured  to 
instill  into  the  minds  of  others  the  great  importance  of  being 
free  from  all  kinds  of  filth. 

It  is  now  the  first  day  of  April,  1814,  and  the  small  pox 
and  typhus  fever  still  prevail  in  the  different  ships,  especially 
on  board  the  ship  called  the  Bahama.  One  hundred  and 
sixty-one  Americans  were  put  on  board  her  in  the  month  of 
January.  She  had  been  used  as  a  prison  for  Danish  sailors, 
many  of  whom  were  sick  of  typhus  fever.  These  Americans 
came,  like  the  rest  of  us,  from  Halifax ;  being  weary,  fa- 
tigued, and  half-starved,  their  dejected  spirits  and  debilitated 
bodies,  then  aptly  disposed  to  imbibe  the  contagion.  Ac- 
cordingly soon  after  they  went  on  board,  they  were  attacked 
with  it.  AH  the  Danes  are  sent  out  of  her ;  and  her  upper 
deck  is  converted  into  an  hospital ;  and  the  surgeon  has 
declared  the  ship  to  be  infectious ;  and  no  one  communicates 
with  her  but  such  as  supply  the  ship  and  attend  the  sick. 

While  "sick  and  imprisoned?  Mr.  Beasly  "  visited  us  not"; 
but  sent  his  clerk,  a  Mr.  Williams,  to  supply  the  most  needy 
with  clothes ;  and  instead  of  applying  to  the  committee, 
who  could  have  informed  him  correctly  who  most  needed 
them,  he  adopted  the  mode  most  liable  to  lead  to  deception 
and  injustice.  This  Mr.  B.  seems,  from  the  beginning,  to 
have  considered  his  countrymen  as  a  set  of  cheating,  lying, 
8 


JOURNAL, 

swindling  rascals ;  and  a  mutual  contempt  has  existed  be- 
tween them.  We  wish  all  our  officers  and  agents  would 
bear  in  mind  this  fact,  that  complacency  begets  complacen- 
cy ;  and  contempt  begets  contempt. 

We,  Americans,  have  seen  and  severely  felt  the  highly 
pernicious  and  demoralizing  tendency  of  gambling  ;  and  we 
have  been  long  wishing  to  break  up  the  practice ;  and  our 
«electmen,  or  committee,  were  determined  to  effect  it.  We 
accordingly  took  a  vote,  agreeably  to  the  custom  of  our 
country,  and  it  was  found  to  be  the  will  of  the  majority  to 
prohibit  the  practice  of  it.  We  began  with  the  roulette  table, 
or  as  our  men  called  them,  "  wheels  of  fortune."  After  no 
small  opposition  from  the  French  officers,  we  succeeded  in 
putting  them  down;  but  we  could  not  succeed  so  easily 
against  the  billiard  tables.  It  was  contended  by  many  that 
it  was  an  exercise,  and  a  trial  of  skill ;  and  if  confined  to  a 
halfpenny,  or  one  cent  a  game,  it  could  not  be  dangerous  to 
the  morals,  or  property  of  the  community.  On  this  a  warm 
and  long  dispute  arose,  in  denning  gambling.  The  playing 
of  billiards  for  a  cent  a  game,  was  contended  to  be  a  muscu- 
lar exercise,  and  not  gambling  ;  w hereas  cards  were  denoun- 
ced, as  a  studied,  sedentary  contrivance,  for  the  artful  to 
draw  money  from  the  pockets  of  the  artless. 

The  owners  of  "  the  wheels  of  fortune"  were,  perhaps, 
envied.  They  made  money,  and  lived  better  than  the  rest; 
and  the  same  remark  wfas  made  of  the  owners  of  the  billiard 
tables.  In  the  course  of  debate  they  were  tauntingly  called 
the  privileged  order,  and  rising  from  one  degree  of  odious 
epithet  to  another,  I  could  not  help  laughing,  on  hearing  one 
angry  orator  pronounce  this  scheme  of  screwing  money  out 
of  the  pockets  of  the  artless,  and  then  laughing  at  their  pov- 
erty and  distress,  to  be  down  right  FEDERALISM,  Now  it 
should  be  known  that  a  Federalist  and  Federalism,  are  the 
most  odious  ideas  that  can  be  raised  up  in  the  minds  of  every 
American  prisoner  in  this  river.  A  law  was,  therefore,  pro- 
posed, to  fine  any  American  prisoner,  who  should  call  anoth- 
a  Federalist. 

This  state  of  contention  continued  five  or  six  days ;  when, 
I  am  sorry  to  say  it,  the  gambling  party  increased  rather 
than  lessened.  At  length  two  of  the  party  ventured  to  re- 
commence gambling — one  of  them  was  immediately  sent 
for  by  the  committee,  who  ordered  him  to  be  confined  in  th* 
black  hok.  This  lit  up  a  blaze  the  committee  little  cc 


JOURNAL.  91 

plated.  The  whole  body  of  the  commons  cried  out  against 
this  summary  and  arbitrary  proceeding  This  was  pronoun- 
ced to  be  such  an  alarming  attack  on  the  liberty  of  the  pris- 
oners, that  every  freeman  in  the  prison  ship  was  called  upon 
to  rise  up  and  resist  the  daring  encroachment  on  the  birth- 
right of  an  American.  A  strong  party  was  at  once  formed 
in  favor  of  the  man  who  was  imprisoned  without  a  trial. 
On  this  occasion  the  names  of  Hanulcn,  Sidney,  and  Wilks, 
were  echoed  from  all  quarters  of  our  prison.  The  liberty  of 
the  citizen,  and  false  imprisonment  were  discanted  on  in  a 
loud  and  moving  manner.  Some  talked  of  a  writ  of  habeas 
corpus,  but  others  knew  not  what  it  meant ;  but  all  agreed 
that  it  was  unconstitutional  to  confine  a  man  in  prison  with- 
out trial.  One  man  had  the  imprudence  to  say  that  they 
would  have  French  fashions  among  them,  of  imprisoning  and 
hanging  a  man,  and  trying  him  afterwards.  This  roused 
the  ire  of  some  of  the  officers  of  that  nation,  who  declared 
in  a  rage,  that  it  was  not  the  fashion  in  France  to  hang  a 
man  and  try  him  afterwards.  They  all  agreed,  however, 
that  it  was  an  illegal  act  to  confine  the  man  without  trial ; 
and  that  this  was  a  precedent  dangerous  to  the  liberties  of 
the  prisoner,  and  that  they  ought  to  protest  against  it.  This 
was  a  curious  scene  to  the  surgeon,  and  some  other  pretty 
sensible  English  officers ;  one  of  whom  observed  to  another, 
in  my  hearing,  these  Americans  are  certainly  the  most  sin- 
gular set  of  men  I  ever  met  with.  The  man  who  had  been 
confined,  was  allowed  to  come  from  his  confinement,  and 
speak  for  himself.  He  had  "  the  gift  of  the  gab,"  and  a 
species  of  forcible  eloquence  that  some  of  our  lawyers  might 
envy.  He  would  have  distinguished  himsslf  in  any  of  bur 
town  meetings ;  and  with  cultivation,  might  have  shown  in 
history.  He,  however,  committed  that  very  common  fault 
among  our  popular  orators, — he  talked  too  much.  The  Pres- 
ident of  the  Committee  was  not  much  of  a  speaker;  but  he 
was  a  man  of  sense  and  prudence.  Cool  as  he  was,  he  was 
thrown  a  little  off  his  guard  by  an  intemperate  phrase  of  the 
culprit ;  who  in  the  ardor  of  his  defence,  accused  the  Presi- 
dent of  being  a  Federalist;  and  this  turned  the  current  of 
favor  against  the  unguarded  orator,  and  he  was  from  all  sides, 
hissed.  When  quiet  was  restored,  the  President  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  current  just  turned  in  his  favor,  and  said, 
"  Fellow  Prisoners !  I  perceive  that  I  have  committed  an. 
"  error  iu  confining  this  man  without  a  previous  trial,  and  I 


92  JOURNAL. 

"  am  sorry  for  it.  At  the  time,  I  thought  I  was  doing  right; 
"  but  I  now  see  that  I  was  wrong."  He  then  proposed  to 
have  the  accusjed  regularly  tried,  before  the  full  committee, 
which  he  hoped  would  prove  themselves  the  real  represen- 
tatives of  the  community,  collected  in  course  of  events 
within  the  planks  of  an  enemy's  prison  ship.  He  exhorted 
the  committee  not  to  be  influenced  by  party,  prejudice,  or 
>  local  attachment,  but  to  act  justly  and  independently.  The 
accused  was  allowed  to  speak  for  himself.  He  was  not  an 
old  Jack  Tar,  but  the  son  of  a  respectable  New  England 
yeoman,  with  a  clear  head,  and  not  destitute  of  learning,  nor 
was  he  ignorant  of  the  law.  He  defended  himself  with  real 
ability,  and  the  spirit  of  Emmet  spoke  with  him.  Among 
other  things,  he  said — "  What  have  I  done  to  bring,  down 
44  upon  me  the  resentment  of  the  committee,  and  the  ven- 
*«  geance  of  its  President  ?  In  attempting  to  establish  the 
"  rights  of  this  little  community,  I  have  suffered  the  ignominy 
«*  of  a  close  confinement,  by  the  order  of  my  own  country- 
"  men.  While  we  are  suffering  oppression,  degradation  and 
**  insult,  from  the  external  enemy,  shall  we  redouble  our 
"  misery,  by  wrongfully  oppressing  one  another  ?  I  thought 
<*  it  my  duty  to  exert  myself  in  favor  of  an  equality  of  rights 
«  among  us.  I  could  not  bear  to  hear  the  domineering  lan- 
"  guage,  and  see  the  overbearing  conduct  of  the  purse  proud 
"  among  us ;  of  a  set  of  cunning,  tricking,  slight-of-hand  men, 
*«  who  were  constantly  stripping  the  unwary  and  artless 
"  American,  of  the  small  sums  he  had  acquired,  not  by  gam- 
*;  ing,  but  by  labor  and  good  behaviour.  I  was  an  enemy 
•'  to  all  this ;  but  I  was  a  friend  to  the  freedom  of  judgment, 
«  and  the  freedom  of  action,  provided  it  did  not  injure  the 
*«  whole.  If  after  what  has  been  experienced,  our  country- 
"  men  will  gamble  with  certain  Frenchmen,  above  the  rank 
"  of  common  seamen,  let  them  do  it,  and  sndure  the  conse- 

»**  quences.  It  is  wrong  to  attempt  to  abridge  the  liberty  of 
*•  amusement,  if  that  amusement  does  riot  harm,  or  endanger 
"  the  comfort  of  the  whole."  The  man  was  acquitted,  and 
escorted  to  his  birth  in  triumph, 

It  is  surprising  what  trifling  things  will  influence  a  crowd ! 
A  few  minutes  previous  to  this  man's  bold  harrangue,  every 
one,  almost,  was  against  him ;  but  as  soon  as  he  tickled 
their  ears  with  a  flourishing  speech,  where  much  more  ability 
was  shewn  than  was  expected,  instantly  they  clap  their 
hands,  admire  his  talents,  applaud  his  sentiment^,  aud  think 


JOUB.NAL. 


„ -I 


wheels  of  fortune  with  a  serious  and  anxious  ardor,  totally 
void  of  pleasantry,  that  seemed  to  me  to  border  upon  insan- 
ity. 

After  the  gaming  tables  were  demolished,  seme  of  our  com- 
panions amused  themselves  by  running,  and  tumbling,  and 
scampering  about  the  ship,  disturbing  those  who  were  dis- 
posed to  read,  write  and  study  navigation.  Not  content 
with  this,  they  hollowed,  ridiculed  and  insulted  people  pas- 
sing in  vessels  and  boats  up  and  down  the  river.  The  com- 
mander had  no  small  difficulty  io  putting  a  stop  to  this  dis- 
graceful river-slang. 

On  receiving  a  month's  pay  from  Mr.  Beasly,  our  agent, 
so  called,  every  prisoner  contributed  three  pence  towards  a 
fund  for  purchasing  beer.  They  formed  themselves  into 
classes,  like  our  collegians,  and  these  appointed  persons  to 
sell  it  to  those  who  wished  for  it ;  and  each  member  of  the 
class  shared  his  proportion  of  the  profits.  This  answered  a 
very  good  purpose ;  it  checked  the  monopolizers  and  muck- 
worms that  infested  our  ship,  and  fattened  on  our  wasteful- 
ness. It  also  benefitted  those  who  did  not  choose  to  drink 
beer,  or  porter,  as  they  call  it  in  England. 

Some  disagreeable  and  very  mortifying  occurrences  took 
place  among  us  in  the  course  of  this  spring.  Four  of  our 
men  agreed  together  to  go  on  to  the  quarter-de«k  and  offer 
themselves  to  the  commander,  to  enter  into  the  service  of 
the  British.  Their  intention  was  discovered  before  they 
had  an  opportunity  of  putting  it  in  execution.  Two  of  them 
were  caught,  and  two  escaped.  These  two  were  arraigned 
and  sentenced  to  be  marked  with  the  letter  T,  with  Indian 
ink,  pricked  into  their  foreheads,  being  the  initial  of  the  word 
Traitor  ;  after  which,  one  went  aft  and  entered;  the  other 
judged  better,  and  remained  with  his  countrymen.  Had 
these  been  Englishmen  we  should  have  applauded  them ; 
and  had  they  been  Irishmen,  we  had  no  right  to  blame  them; 
but  we  had  the  mortification  to  know  that  they  were,  by 
birth,  Americans.  Some  thought  the  punishment  was  too 
severe,  and  which  we  had  no  right  to  inflict ;  others  thought 
that  the  letter  in  their  foreheads  should  have  been  P,  for 
FEDERALIST  ;  for  this  was  the  name  they  ever  afterwards 
were  known  by. 

The  Frenchmen  were  now  (in  the  month  of  May)  leaving 
the  reach.  Many  of  them  had  been  in  prison  ever  since 
1803,  These  men.  are  going  home  to  live  under  a  govera- 


JOURNAL. 


n 


merit  forced  upon  them  by  foreigners  !  How  unlike  Amer 
icans,  who  had  rather  perish  under  tortures,  than  submit  to 
the  yoke  of  a  foreigner.  Our  Frenchmen  always  spoke  in 
raptures  of  the  emperor  NAPOLEON,  and  with  contempt  of 
Louis.  When  we  spoke  in  praise  of  Bonaparte,  they  would 
throw  their  arms  around  us,  and  cry  out,  one  bon  Ameri- 
can !  But  these  men  are  all  passion  and  no  principle ;  they 
are  fit  for  any  thing  but  liberty.  I  cannot  judge  of  the 
whole  nation ;  but  those  I  have  seen  here,  are  an  abandon- 
ed set  of  men.  I  dare  not  write  down  their  incredible  vices. 
There  has  been  a  great  cry  of  French  influence  by  the  Brit- 
ish party  in  New  England.  I  never  thought  it  ever  exist- 
ed, and  I  am  very  certain  that  it  never  will  exist,  unless 
they,  and  we  should  become  a  very  altered  people.  It  is  a 
happy  circumstance  that  the  wide  atlantic  rolls  between  us 
and  France,  and  between  us  and  England. 

Louis  18th,  passed  through  Chatham  this  month,  for 
France.  The  tops  of  the  carriages,  only,  were  to  be  seen 
by  the  prisoners.  On  this  occasion,  the  cannon  were  firing 
from  London  to  Sheerness.  Our  Frenchmen  looked  black- 
er than  ever.  They  were,  be  sure,  obliged  to  stick  the 
white  cokade  on  their  hats,  but  they  told  us  they  had  Bo- 
naparte's cockade  in  their  hearts.  They  checked  the  ex- 
pression of  their  feelings  lest  it  should  retard  their  liberation. 

On  the  news  of  taking  of  Paris,  and  of  the  flight  of  Bona- 
parte to  Elba,  all  our  prison-keepers  were  alive  for  joy.— 
"  Thank  God  that  I  am  an  Englishman"  says  our  comman- 
der, lieut.  O. — and  "  thank  God  I  am  a  Briton"  says  our 
surgeon,  who  is  a  Scotchman.  John  Bull  is  now  on  the 
very  top  of  the  steeple,  hourrowing  and  swinging  his  hat,  and 
crying  out  to  the  whole  universe,  "  I'm  thinking  Johnny 
"  Bull,  the  magnanimous  John  Bull,  the  soul  of  the  conti- 
"  nental  war,  the  protector  of  France,  the  restorer  of  his  ho- 
"  liness  the  Pope,  and  of  Ferdinand  the  Great,  the  terror  and 
"  admiration  of  the  whole  world.  I  have  nothing  now  left 
"  me  to  do,  but  to  flog  the  yankees,  and  depose  MADISON  ; 
"  and  burn  the  eity  of  Washington,  disperse  the  Congress, 
"  establish  in  their  place  the  Hartford  Convention,  and  raise 
"  Caleb  Strong  to  the  high  rank  his  devotion  merits.  After 

*4  this,  I  will  divide  the  world  between  me  and .    Pre- 

"•vost,  who  is,  beyond  doubt,  at  this  very  moment,  at  the 
"  city  of  Hartford,  in  Connecticut;  or  at  the  city  of  Norffe 
"  Hampton,  the  capital  of  my  province  of  Massaehuse; 


JOURNAL.  99 

John  Bull*  is,  be  sure,  an  hearty  old  fellow,  \vith  some 
very  good  points  in  his  odd  character ;  but,  dwelling  on  an 
island,  he  oft  times  betrays  an  ignorance  of  the  world,  and 
of  himself,  so  that  we  cannot  help  laughing  at  him,  once  in 
a  while,  for  his  conceitedness.  His  ignorance  of  America, 
and  Americans,  is  a  source  of  ridicule  among  us  all.  An 
English  lady  said  to  one  of  the  officers,  who  had  the  care  of 
American  prisoners  in  England,  "  I  hear,  Sir,  that  the 
"  Americans  are  very  ingenious  in  the  manufactory  of  many 
"  little  articles,  and  should  like  to  have  some  of  them." — 
The  officer  replied  that  she  might  herself  give  directions  to 
some  of  the  Americans,  whom  he  would  direct  to  speak  with 
her.  "  0,"  said  she,  "  how  can  that  be,  I  cannot  speak  their 
"  language  /"  The  individuals  of  the  navy  of  England, 
have  pretty  correct  ideas  of  us ;  but  the  soldiery  of  Eng- 
land have  betrayed  their  ignorance  in  a  manner  that  is 
astonishing,  and  some  times  truly  laughable,  even  among 
their  officers,  who  have  taken  prisoners.  To  this  ignorance 
of  free  and  happy  America,  and  to  the  very  generally  dif- 
fused blessings  of  a  respectable  education,  which  we  all  en- 
joy, is  to  be  attributed  the  base  treatment  we  have  experi- 
enced in  some  periods  of  our  painful  captivity.  Who  could 
have  entertained  any  respect,  or  good  opinion  of  a  set  of 
miserable  looking,  half  naked  dirty  men,  such  as  we  all  were 
when  we  arrived  in  the  different  ships  from  America  ?  Our 
own  parents,  our  brothers  and  sisters,  would  not  have  recog- 
nized us  as  their  relatives.  The  soldiers  taken  under  Boest- 
ler,  were  the  verriest  looking  vagabonds  I  ever  saw.  They 
resembled  more  the  idea  I  have  formed  of  the  lowest  ten- 
ants of  St.  Giles',  than  American  citizens,  born  and  bred 
up  in  a  sort  of  Indian  freedom,  and  living  all  their  lives  in 
plenty,  and  never  knowing,  until  they  came  jnto  the  hands 
of  the  English,  what  it  was  to  be  pinched  for  food,  or  to  be 
infested  by  vermin.  This  short,  severe,  and  for  America, 
most  glorious  war,  has  given  all  ranks  of  the  British  nation 
more  correct  ideas  of  that  people,  who  have  vanquished 
them  in  every  contest,  the  ill-omened  frigate  Chesapeake 
alone  excepted.  During  this  short  war,  the  British  have 
learnt  this  important  truth,  that  the  Americans  are  a  brave 

*Our  youngest  readers  need  not  be  told,  that  by  John  Bull,  we 
,«nean  the  English  nation  personified.  See  Dean  'Swift's  admirable 
history  of  John  Butt}  his  u*ifet  auid  his  mother,  aud  his  mangy  sister 


100  JOURNAL. 

and  skilful  people,  who,  though  they  appear  to  differ  amocg 
themselves,  are  all  united  against  any  attack  from  the  Eng- 
lish; and  on  our  side,we  have  learnt,  that  to  carry  on  a  war, 
tts  we  have  done,  is  pretty  expensive. 

The  surgeon  of  this  ship,  who  is  a  clever  Scotchman, 
speaks  of  the  English  nation  as  in  a  state  of  starvation  in 
the  midst  of  her  great  power,  and  abounding  wealth,  and 
matchless  glory ;  for  the  late  capture  of  Paris,  by  the  Eng- 
lish, with  a  trifling  assistance  of  the  allies,  has  absolutely 
intoxicated  the  whole  nation,  so  that  every  man  of  them 
talks  as  if  he  were  drunk.     He  told  me,  "  that  although  the* 
"  ship  carpenters,  at  Chatham,  received  two  guineas  a  week, 
«  (which,  by  the  way,  is  not  so  much  as  our  carpenters  re- 
«  ceive  in  America)  they  were  always  poor,  and  could  lay 
"  up  nothing  against  the  accidents  of  sickness ;  but  that 
"  when  such  misfortunes  came  upon  them,  they,  in  common 
"  with  the  manufacturers  of  England,  with  their  families, 
"  went  upon  the  parish,  or  into  some  hospitals.      He  said, 
"  such  laboring  people  laid  out  too  much  in  flesh  meat,  and 
"  in  porter;    which  was  not  the  custom  in  Scotland;  and 
"  that  there  it  was  considered  an  indelible  disgrace  to  a 
«  family  to  be  maintained  by  the  parish;  but  that  it  was  so 
*'  common  in  England,  that  no  disgrace  was  attached  to  it. 
"  We,  in  Scotland,  said  he,  would  work  our  hands  off,  be- 
"  fore  any  of  our  family  should  ask  the  parish  for  assistance 
«  to  live.1'     It  appears  from  authentic  documents,  published 
in  London,  that,  young  and  old,  there  are  little  short  of  two 
millions  of  paupers  in  England,  including  common  beggars, 
and  persons  in  alms-houses ;  that  is,  upon  an  average,  about 
one  pauper,  or  beggar,  to  every  four  who  are  not  paupers  or 

In  the  parish  of  St.  Sepukhcr,  which  is  in  the  heart  of  the 
city  of  London,  there  were  last  January,  (1816,) 

Paupers  in  the  work-house,     --------    227 

Children  at  nurse,     --- -    -      25 

Insane  poor,     ------    ^   -,---- 

Keliev'cd  out  of  the  house, 

Relieved  in  the  country,    ------,-- 

361 

Now  the  number  of  persons  rvlio  pay  poor  rates  in  thit 
parish,  was  at  the  same  time,  612.  The  annual  amount  of 
the  expenses  about  J6,600.  This  is  from  an  official  account 


JOURNAL.  101 

given  by  Mr.  Miller  and  Win.  Scaife.  Such  is  the  picture 
of  the  prosperity  of  the  opulent  city  of  London,  when  at 
peace  with  all  the  world ;  after  they  had  put  down  Bona- 
parte, and  set  up  the  Pope,  and  Ferdinand  the  7th,  and  re- 
stored Louis  18th  to  the  throne  of  the  Bourbons,  and  reviv- 
ed the  holy  inquisition,  with  all  its  fervours  ! — Read  this, 
Americans,  and  bless  God  that  your  lots  (lines)  have  fallen 
in  pleasant  places. 

A  century  ago,  a  Scotch  writer,  Fletcher,  of  Saltoun, 
gives  this  account  of  the  beggarly  state  of  Scotland. — 
"  There  are,  says  he,  at  this  day  in  Scotland  (besides  a 
great  many  poor  families  meanly  provided  for  by  the  church 
boxes,  with  others,  who,  by  living  upon  bad  food,  fall  into 
various  diseases)  two  hundred  thousand  people  begging  from 
door  to  door.  These  are  not  only  no  way  advantageous, 
but  a  very  grievous  burden  to  so  poor  a  country ;  and 
though  the  number  of  them  be  perhaps  double  to  what  it 
was  formerly,  by  reason  of  this  present  great  distress,  yet  in 
all  times  there  have  been  about  one  hundred  thousand  of 
those  vagabonds  (gipsies)  who  have  lived  without  any  re- 
gard or  subjection  either  to  the  laws  of  the  land,  or  even 
those  of  God  and  nature. 

"  No  magistrate  could  ever  discover,  or  be  informed,  which 
way  one  in  a  hundred  of  these  wretches  died,  or  that  they 
\vnfe  ever  baptized.  Many  murders  have  been  discovered 
among  them ;  and  they  are  not  only  a  most  unspeakable 
oppression  to  poor  tenants  (who,  if  they  give  not  bread,  or 
some  kind  of  provisions  to  perhaps  forty  such  villains  in  one 
day,  are  sure  to  be  insulted  by  them  ;)  but  they  rob  many 
poor  people  who  live  in  houses  distant  from  any  neighbor- 
hood. In  years  of  plenty,  many  thousands  of  them  meet 
together  in  the  mountains,  where  they  feast  and  riot  for 
many  days;  and  at  country  weddings,  markets,  burials, and 
other  the  like  public  occasions,  they  are  to  be  seen,  both 
man  and  woman,  perpetually  drunk,  cursing,  blaspheming, 
and  fighting  together." 

Among  the  evils  imported  from  Britain,  America  has 
never  been  cursed  with  that  part  of  their  population  called 
GIPSIES,  forming  in  England  an  imperiwn  in  impcrio.  The 
famous  "  orders  in  council?  can  be  clearly  traced  up  to  a 
Gipsy  origin.  The  Londoners  imitate  and  follow,  but  ori- 
ginate nothing.— One  of  the  monarchs  of  Scotland  acknowl- 
9 


ids 


JOURNAL. 


edged  the  Gipsies  as  a  separate  and  independent  race.     The 
word  is  a  corruption  of  Egyptians. 

The  Surgeon  also  talked  much  about  the  poor  laws  ;  and 
the  taxes  to  support  the  vast  number  of  the  poor  in  Eng- 
land. I  told  him  that  in  Massachusetts,  which  contained 
about  half  a  million  of  people,  we  had  not  more  than  a  thou- 
sand persons  maintained  at  the  public  charge  ;  and  that  this 
thousand  included  foreigners  —  English,  Scotch,  Irish,  Ger- 
mans, Danes,  Swedes,  and  not  a  few  negroes.  He  seemed 
surprized  at  this  account  ;  but  after  a  little  pause,  he  said, 
"  it  was  just  like  Scotland,  where  they  had  very  few  poor  ; 
and  of  those,  very  few  were  so  degraded  in  mind,  as  to  go 
into  an  alms-house,  like  an  Englishman. 

The  Doctor  observed,  "  that  the  English  were  full  of  mo- 
*'  ney  ;  that  they  gave  large  and  long  credit,  and  that  tai- 
"  lors,  shoe-makers  and  hatters,  gave  a  generous  credit,  and 
«  could  afford  so  to  do."     He  said,  "  that  the  '  capitalists* 
«  ruled  and  turned  the  wheels  of  the  government  at  their 
"  will  and  pleasure  ;  they  have  great  influence  in  the  nation, 
«  but  they  have  no  ancestors,  nor  any  thing  to  boast  of  but 
«  their  money,  which  gives  them  all  their  consequence  ;  for 
«  it  is  true  if  they  shut  their  purses,  the  whole  machinery  of 
"  the  government  must  stop."     I  could  have  told  this  dis- 
contented Caledonian  a  different  story.     I  could  have  told 
him  that  all  our  capitalists,  merchants  and  monied  men,  es- 
pecially in  New  England,  had  shut  their  purses  against  our 
administration,  and  yet,  in  spite  of  these  detestable  sons  of 
mammon,  our  governmental  machine  went  steadily  on,  while 
we  vanquished  our  enemy  by  land  and  by  sea  ;  but  I  did  not 
•wish  to  mortify  a  civil,  friendly  man.   "  In  England,"  contin- 
ued he,  "  the  "merchant  governs  the  cabinet;  and  the  cabi- 
"  net  governs  the  parliament  ;  and  the  sovereign  governs 
"  both  ;  but,"  said  he,  "  the  capitalists,  (by  Which  he  meant 
«  the    mercantile  interest)  govern  the  whole."     I  did  not 
choose  to  controvert  his  opinions  ;   but,  "  thinks-l-to-my- 
self,"  ah  !  Sawney,  thou  art  mistaken  ;  America,  democrat- 
ic America,  has  proved  that  the  most  democratical  govern- 
ment upon  the  terraqueous  globe,  has  gone  steadily  on  to 
oreatness,   to  victory  and  to  glory,  with  the  capitalists  or 
mercantile  interest,  in  direct  opposition  to  its  wondrous  mea- 
sures !  . 

I  believe  that  our  surgeon  was  a  good  man,  and 
qualified  "in  his  profession:  but  no  politician,  and  pretty 


JOURNAL.  103 

strongly  attached  to  his  tribe;  who,  from  his  account,  never 
spent  much  money  in  buying  meat  and  strong  beer.  He 
talked  much  of  the  machine  and  wheels  of  government ; 
from  all  which  I  concluded,  that  the  court  of  St.  James's 
was  the  hub,  or  nave,  where  all  the  spokes  of  the  great  wheel 
of  tbe  machine  terminated  ;  and  that  the  laboring  people, 
manufacturers,  and  merchants  were  doomed,  all  their  days, 
to  grease  this  wheel.  It  is  remarkable  that  David,  the  roy- 
al Psalmist,  among  the  severest  of  the  curses  bestowed  on 
his  enemies,  expressly  says,  "  Lord,  make  them  like  unto  a 
wheel." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  month  of  April,  which  is  just  past,  is  like  our  April 
in  New  England,  raw,  cold,  or  as  the  English  call  it,  sour. — 
But  their  month  of  May,  which  is  now  arrived,  is  pleasanter 
by  far,  than  our*.  By  all  that  I  can  observe,  1  conclude 
that  the  vernal  season  of  this  part  of  the  Island  of  Britain, 
is  full  fifteen  days,  if  not  twenty,  earlier  than  that  of  Bos*- 
ion.  I  conjecture  that  this  spot  corresponds  with  Phila- 
delphia. 

The  Medway,  though  a  small  river  in  the  eyes  of  an  in- 
habitant of  the  new  world,  is  a  very  pleasant  one.     The 
moveable  picture  on  its  surface,  of  ships,  tenders,  and  barges, 
ris  very  pleasing,  while  its  banks  'are  rich  and  beautiful. — 
T)h,  what  a  contrast  to  horrid  Nova  Scotia,  with  her  barren 
'  hills,  and  everlasting  bleak  mountains  ! — The  picture  from 
the  banks  of  the  river  to  the  top  of  the  landscape,  is  truly 
delightful,  and  beyond  any  thing  I   ever  saw  in  my  own 
country  ;  and  this  is  owing  to  the  hedges,  which  are  novel- 
ties in  the  eyes  of  an  American.     In  our  country,  the  fields, 
meadows  and  pastures  are  divided  by  stone  walls,  or  the 
rough  post-and-rail  fence  ;  but  here  their  fields,  pastures  and 
enclosures,  which  are  very  small,  compared  with  ours,  are 
made  by  hedges,  or  living  growing  vegetables,  of  a  deep 
*and  most  beautiful  green.     It  gives  a  richness  to  the  Eng- 
lish landscape,  beyond  all   expression  fine.     How  happeoB 
it,  I  wonder,   that  hedges  have  never  been  introduced  into 
New  England,  who  has  copied  so  closely  every  thiujg  b<- 


104  JOURNAL, 

longing  to  Old  England  ?  Should  I  ever  be  permitted  to 
leave  this  Babylonish  captivity,  and  be  allowed  once  more 
to  see  our  own  Canaan,  the  enclosures  of  hedge  shall  not  be 
forgotten. 

Nearly  opposite  our  doleful  prison  stands  the  village  of 
Gillinfrham,  adorned  with  a  handsome  church ;  on  the  side 
next  Chatham,  stands  the  castle,  defended  by  more  than  an 
hundred  cannon.  These  fortifications  were  erected  soon 
after  the  Dutch  republicans  sailed  up  to  Chatham,  and  sing- 
ed John  Bull's  beard ;  since  which  it  is  said,  he  changes 
countenance  at  the  name  of  a  republic,  or  republican.  We 
are  told  in  the  history  of  GiHingham,  that  here,  the  famous 
Earl  Goodwin  murdered  six  hundred  Norman  gentlemen, 
belonging  to  the  retinue  of  Prince  Alfred.  But  some  such 
shocking  story  is  told  of  almost  every  town  in  England  that 
has  an  old  castle,  an  old  tower,  or  an  old  cathedral.  This 
village  once  belonged  to  an  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  ves- 
tiges of  whose  palace  are  yet  to  be  seen.  This  place  is  also 
noted  for  making  what  is  absurdly  called  copperas,  which  is 
the  chrystalized  salt  of  iron,  or  what  is  called  in  the  new 
chemical  nomenclature  sulphate  of  iron  ;  or  in  common  par- 
lance, green  vitriol  ;  which  is  manufactured,  and  found  na- 
tive in  our  own  country,  in  immeasurable  quantity. 

Near  this  village  of  Gillingham,  is  a  neat  house,  with  a 
good  garden,  and  surrounded  by  trees,  which  was  bequeath- 
ed by  a  lady  to  the  oldest  boatswain  in  the  Royal  Navy. — 
The  present  incumbent  is  eighty  years  of  age.     Within  our 
view  is  a  shepherd  attending  his  flock,  with  his  canine  lieu- 
tenants, who  drive  them  into  their  pen  in  the  evening,  jusfy 
zis  our  shepherds  do  us  on  board  the  Crown  Prince.     In  ^T 
clear  day  the  masts  of  the  ships  eaa  be  seen  passing  up  and ' 
down  the  Thames.     This  brings  to  our  minds  our  own  gal- 
lant ships,  whose  decks  we  long,  once  more,  to  tread. 

The  Britons  pursue  a  malignant  policy,  in  confining  us 
in  a  loathsome  prison.  The  Britons  know,  probably,  that 
a  long  and  lingering  imprisonment  weakens  the  body,  and 
diminishes  the  energy  of  the  mind  ;  that  it  disposes  to  vice* 
to  a  looseness  of  thought,  and  a  destruction  of  those  moral 
principles  inculcated  by  a  careful  and  early  education. — 
Such  a  sink  of  vice  I  never  saw,  nor  ever  dreamt  of,  as  I 
have  seen  here.  Never  was  a  juster  saying  thaa  this  ; — 
u  Evil  communications  corrupt  good  manners"  One  vicious 
follow  may  corrupt  an  hundred,  even  if  he  speak  anolhe? 


JOURNAL.  103 

language.  I  fiave  been  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  wis- 
dom of  solitary  imprisonment.  By  what  I  have  seen  and 
heard  in  this  ship,  where  there  are  generally  from  seven  to 
nine  hundred  men,  I  am  convinced  that  such  collections  are 
so  many  hot-beds  of  vice  and  villany.  It  is  a  college  of 
Satan,  where  degrees  of  wickedness  are  conferred  e  merito. 
Here  we  have  irishmen,  sophomores,  juniors,  and  seniors, 
in  roguery,  together  with  Bachelors,  Masters  of  Arts,  and 
Doctors. 

Is  it  not  a  shame  and  a  disgrace  to  a  Christian  nation* 
that,  because  a  man  has  had  t*he  virtue  to  step  forward  in 
the  cause  of  his  country,  in  the  cause  of  "  free  trade  and 
sailors'  rights,"  or  from  that  glow  of  chivalry  that  fills  a 
youthful  bosom,  or  the  sound  of  the  warlike  drum  and  trum- 
pet, and  the  sight  of  the  waving  flag  of  his  insulted  country; 
is  it  not  a  shame  that  such  a  young  man  of  pure  morals  and 
careful  education,  should  be  plunged  into  such  an  horrid 
prison  as  this  ?  amid  vice,  and  roguery,  and  every  thing 
else,  debasing  to  the  character  of  so  moral  a  people  as  the 
Americans  really  are  ? 

The  prisoners  and  the  commander  had  lived  in  pretty 
good  harmony,  until  very  lately.  Some  of  our  men  had  ab~ 
solutely  cut  a  hole  through  the  ship,  near  her  stern,  and  cut 
the  copper  all  round  the  hole,  excepting  at  the  under  side, 
which  enabled  them  to  bend  down  the  copper  at  their  pleas- 
ure, and  open  a  passage  into  the  water,  and  to  re-close  it  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  escape  detection.  It  was  effected  'with 
a  great  deal  of  art  and  good  management,  with  tools  which 
\ve  had  procured,  and  cunningly  concealed. 

The  first  dark  night  after  this  newly  contrived  stern-port 
was  finished,  sixteen  of  the  prisoners  passed  through  it  into 
the  water,  and  swam  safely  on  shore,  notwithstanding  a  sen- 
tinel was  stationed  directly  above  the  hole.  They  took 
care,  however,  to  allure  him  as  far  forward  as  they  could, 
ly  singing  droll  songs,  and  handing  about  some  grog,  which 
had  been  provided  for  that  purpose.  Sixteen  was  thought 
to  be  as  great  a  number  as  could  be  prudently  ventured  to 
escape  at  once.  One  night  the  copper,  which  operated 
like  a  door  upon  its  hinge,  was  considerably  ruptured,  and 
the  prisoners  gave  over  the  attempt,  and  retired  to  their 
hammocks  again.  ' 

The  next  evening  the  prisoners  were  to  be  counted;  and 
it  was  of  the  first  importance  to  keep  up  the  entire  nuaaber, 
9* 


IVO  JOURNAL. 

and  prevent  the  detection  of  our  plot.  To  this  cm!  we  cut 
a  hole  through  one  deck,  big  enough  for  one  man  to  pa.>s 
from  one  enclosure  of  prisoners  to  the  other.  There  w  as  al- 
a  number  of  prisoners  left  on  each  deck,  who  were 
'  d  by  the  sergeant  below  ;  while  the  sergeant  passed 
from  the  lower  deck  to  the  next  above  it,  sixteen  men  slip- 
ped through  the  hole,  and  were  counted  over  again  ;  and 
this  deception  kept  the  numbers  good,  and  this  trick  was 
practised  several  times  with  success.  The  nights  were  now 
too  light  for  a  second  attempt  to  escape.  When  they  be- 
eu«H!  sufficiently  dork  again,  we  prepared  for  a  second  at- 
tempt. A-  ::»g  lots  for  the  chance,  each  man  was 
provided  with  a  little  bag  of  clothes,  plaistered  over  with 
<r"easf\  to  keep  them  water-tight ;  they  then  passed  agreea- 
bly to  lots  drawn,  to  the  hole  near  the  stern  of  the  ship. — 
Two  got  well  into  the  water,  but  one  of  them  was  tender 
and  timid.  Trepidation  and  the  coldness  of  the  water  made 
.him  turn  back  to  regain  the  hole  he  crept  out  of.  In  com- 
ing near  the  staging  where  the  sentinel  was  posted,  he  heard 
the  poor  fellow  breathe,  and  at  length  got  sight  of  him; — 
"  Ah,"  says  Paddy,  "  here  is  a  porpoise,  arid  I'll  stick  him 
**  with  my  bayonet."  On  which  the  terrified  young  man 
<f xclaimed — u  don't  kill  me,  I  am  a  prisoner."  The  senti- 
i»el  held  out  his  hand,  and  helped  him  on  to  the  staging, 
and  then  fired  his  gun  to  give  the  alarm.  The  guard  turn- 
ed out,  and  the  officers  ran  down  in  a  fright,  not  being  able 
lo  conceive  how  the  man  could  have  got  overboard,  sur» 
rounded  with  a  platform,  and  guarded  as  this  ship  was. — 
They  ran  here  and  there,  and  questioned,  and  threatened, 
nud  rummaged  about;  at  length  they  discovered  the  sally 
part  of  the  enemy.  The  officers  stood  in  astonishment  at, 
•the  sight  of  a  hole  big  enough  for  a  man  to  creep  cut,  cut 
through  the  thick  planking  of  a  ship  of  the  line  !  While 
.they  stared  and  looked  pale,  many  of  the  prisoners  burst  out 
a  laughing.  None  but  an  American  could  have  thought, 
-Hid  executed  such  a  thing  as  this.  One  of  the  officers  said 
he  did  not  believe  that  the  Devil  himself  would  ever  be  able 
lo  keep  these  fellows  in  hell,  if  they  determined  on  get- 
ting out. 

The  poor  fellow  who  had  crept  out.,,  and  crept  back  again, 
••vas  so  chilled,  or  petrified  with  fear,  that  he  could  give  the 
officers  no  account  of  the  matter.  In  the  mean  time,  mus- 
kets were  fired;  ami  a  general  alarm  given  through  the  ilc^t 


JOURNAL. 


1 


of  prison  ships,  fifteen  in  number.  The  river  was  soon  cov- 
ered with  boats;  but  not  a  man  could  they  find.  The  next 
day  the  man  who  escaped  was  found  dead  on  the  beach, 
where  he  lay  two  days  in  the  sight  of  us  all.  At  length  a 
coroner's  inquest  was  held  upon  him;  but  nooue  was  exam- 
ined by  the  jury,  excepting  the  crew  of  the  boat,  who  firs! 
discovered  him.  It  was  said  that  there  were  bruises  about 
his  head.  His  ship-mates  laid,  that  he  was  one  of  the  best 
swimmers  they  ever  knew.  It  was  strongly  suspected  that 
he  was  discovered  swimming,  and  that  some  of  the  marines 
knocked  him  on  the  head,  in  revenge  for  turning  them  out 
of  their  hammocks  in  the  night.  His  clothing,  his  money, 
and  his  watch,  were  taken  by  lieutenant  ftstnori,  the 
commander  of  this  prison  ship.  It  was  disgraceful  to  the 
civil  authority,  to  allow  the  man  to  lay  sucli  a  long  space  of 
time,  unexamined,  and  unburied,  on  the  shores  of  a  Christian 
people. 

When  the  prisoners  were  called  to  answer  to  their  names, 
those  absent  were  called  over  several  times  ;  when  some  of 
the  prisoners  answered,  that  "  the  absentees  had  been  paro- 
led by  the  commander,  and  gone  on  shore."  This  saucy  an- 
swer enraged  the  commander,  excited  his  resentment,  and 
laid  the  foundation  for  future  difficulties. 

I  must  needs  say,  that  some  of  our  young  men  treated  Mr. 
Osmore,  the  first  officer  of  this  prison  ship,  in  a  manner  not 
to  he  excused,  or  even  palliated.  If  they  did  not  love  him, 
or  esteem  him,  still,  as  he  was  the  legally  constituted  com- 
mander of  this  depot  of  prisoners,  he  was  entitled  to  good 
manners,  which  he  did  not  always  receive,  as  the  following 
anecdote  will  show.  Not  long  after  the  escape  of  the  six- 
teen men,  our  commander  and  his  family  were  getting  into 
the  boat  to  go  on  shore,  on  a  Sunday,  when  a  boy  looked 
out  of  a  port  near  to  him,  and  cried  out  l>aa  f  baa  !  This, 
Mr.  Osmore  took  as  an  iusult,  and  ordered  the  port  to  be 
shut  down  ;  but  the  messes  that  were  accommodated  by 
the  light  from  it,  forced  it  up  again.  Now  the  origin  of 
this  ludicrous  and  sheep-like  interjection  was  this  :  a  story 
was  in  circulation,  that  lieutenant  O.  had  taken  slyly  some 
sheep  from  the  neighboring  marshes,  without  leave  or  li- 
cense, -and  converted  them  to  his  own  use  ;  and  that  the 
owner  being  about  to  prosecute  him,  the  affair  was  made  up, 
by  the  interposition  of  friends,  on  compensation  being  made, 
Now  it  is  probable  that  there  was  not  a  v>crd  of  truth  in 


this  story;  but  that  was  the  report.  The  commander, 
therefore,  on  finding  his  orders  resisted  by  the  prisoners, 
directed  some  marines  to  shut  the  port,  and  confine  it  down 
with  spikes ;  and  ordered  the  sentinel  to  fire  into  the  pgrt  if 
they  forced  it  open  again.  Upon  this,  some  of  the  prisoners 
tore  up  a  large  oaken  bench,  with  which  they  forced  open 
the  port ;  and  kept  the.  bench  out,  so  as  to  keep  up  that 
valve,  or  heavy  shutter,  sustained  on  hinges,  which  when 
down,  closes  the  port  hole,  at  the  same  time  the  sheepish 
note  of  baa !  baa!  baa !  was  uttered  from  every  part  of  the 
ship  ;  sounding  like  an  immense  flock  of  sheep,  that  might 
have  been  heard  full  a  mile.  Although  none  of  us  could 
help  joining  in  the  loud  laugh,  for  laughter  is  contagious,  the 
most  prudent  of  our  countrymen  condemned  the  conduct  as 
highly  improper.  It  was  said,  if  one  man  is  determined 
to  insult  another,  let  him  do  it,  and  abide  the  consequences; 
but  never  insult  a  man  in  the  presence  of  his  family.  If  we 
Americans  are  in  the  habit  of  ridiculing  ribbands,  and  gar- 
ters and  keys,  and  crowns  and  sceptres,  and  mitres,  and 
high  sounding  titles,  let  us  never  attempt  to  diniiiiisji  the 
dignity  of  patriarchal  rank. 

The  riot  did  not  end  here;  for  when  the  commander 
found  that  he  could  not  keep  the  port  entirely  shut,  he  or- 
dered the  marines  to  drive  the  prisoners  off  the  forecastle 
down  into  the  pound,  which  occasioned  the  boj-s  to  sing  out 
as  before  ;  and  even  to  be  more  insulting.  This  he  was 
determined  to  bear  no  longer  ;  and  he  therefore  drove  them 
all  below,  allowing  only  the  cooks  to  remain  in  the  galiey, 
and  the  caterers  to  go  upon  deck,  to  get  water  from  the 
tanks  *The  market  boats  were  forbidden  to  come  near  us  ; 
and  in  this  state  of  embargo  we  remained  during  two  days, 
all  the  time  confined  merely  to  the  government  allowance 
of  food.  At  length,  the  committee  requested  the  command- 
er to  transmit  some  letters  for  them  to  the  American  agent 
for  prisoners,  and  to  the  British  commodore.  This  he  could 
not  well  refuse.  These  two  officers  accordingly  came  down 
to  us.  They  requested  the  president  o£  the  committee  to 
state  to  them  the  cause  and  course  of  the  dispute.  Mr.  Os- 
more  stated  his  complaint,  and  the  president  of  our  committee 
replied,  and  stated  ours;  and  among  other  things,  observed  that 
the  word  "  bst-:t?  had  110  more  meaning  than  a  thousand  other 
senseless  cries,  uttering  constantly  from  the  throats  of  idle, 
thoughtless  boys ;  and  begged  Mr.  Osiaore  to  explain  how 


JOURNAL.  109 

such  an  unmeaning  sound  could  be  construed  into  an  insult 
to  him  ;  that  if  he  and  his  officers  should  cry  baa!  baa! 
baa!  all  day,  none  of  the  Americans  would  think  themselves 
injured  or  affronted.  As  to  forcibly  keeping  the  port  open, 
*  the  president  observed,  that  however  offende4  he  might  be, 
with  a  saucy  boy,  the  men  did  not  deserve  to  be  deprived 
of  the  light  of  heaven,  and  to  be  confined  below,  and  reduced 
to  a  smaller  allowance  of  food.  The  result  was,  the  hatches 
were  ordered  to  be  taken  off;  and  we  were  all  restored  to 
our  former  situation.  Capt.  If  utchinson  acquired  an  addi- 
tional stock  of  popularity  with  the  prisoners  for  this  decision 
in  our  favor.  The  prisoners  are  discriminating,  and  not  un- 
grateful. The  sailing-master,  who  is  a  Scotchman,  has  al- 
ways treated  us  with  great  tenderness  and  humanity.  He 
has  attended  to  our  little  conveniences;  and  forwarded  our 
letters.  Mr.  Barnes  never  descends  to  little  contemptible 
extortions ;  nor  is  he  on  the  continual  watch,  lest  his  digni- 
ty should  suffer  by  a  look,  a  tone,  or  a  playful  interjection. 
When  Osmore  is  absent,  and  Barnes  gives  orders,  they  are 
instantly  and  cheerfully  obeyed.  If  there  is  any  disorder, 
this  worthy  Scotchman  can,  by  a  word,  restore  harmony,  of 
which  we  might  give  many  instances.  In  reprimanding  a 
boy,  the  other  day,  for  ill  behavior,  he  said  to  him,  ^  1  expect 
"  better  things  of  you  as  an  American  ;  I  consider  you  all 
i;  in  a  ditferent  light  from  that  of  a  d — d  set  of  French  mon- 
"  kies." 

Mr.  Galbreath  is,  likewise,  a  Scotchman  ;  and  he,  too,  is 
a  very  worthy  man.  These  two  worthy  Caledonians  ope- 
rate together  in  alleviating  our  hard  lot;  and  they  do  ay 
much  to  please  us,  as  the  jealous  and  revengeful  disposition 
of  some  body  else  will  admit  of.  We  are  all  pretty  healthy, 
and  the  hospital  arrangements  on  board  are  broken  up. — 
Some  few  remain  on  board  the  hospital  ship. 

Tenders  are  daily  passing  down  the  river,  filled  with  sea- 
men and  marines,  bound  to  America.  As  they  pass  by  us, 
they  play  "  Yankee  Doodle?  and  cry  out  to  us,  that  they 
are  bound  to  America,  to  flog  the  Yankees.  We  hollow  to 
them,  in  return,  and  tell  them  what  they  will  meet  there, 
and  predict  to  them  their  fate.  Some  of  these  fellows  have 
been  seven  years  at  sea ;  and  would  desert  to  our  colon*  the 
first  opportunity.  These  white  slaves  expected  to  enjoy  a 
little  something  like  freedom,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  peace ; 
but  instead  of  setting  their  feet  ou  shore,  they  are  wow 


' 


110  JOURNAL. 

off  to  leave  their  bones  in  America,  without  a  moment's  pre- 
vious notice  of  their  destination. 

June  30£/«,  1814.  Early  in  this  month  three  men  con- 
cealed themselves  in  the  water-tank,  through  the  conni- 
vance of  the  corporal  of  the  guard ;  and  so  escaped  from  pri- 
son. More  would  have  gone  off  by  the  same  conveyance, 
had  not  one  of  the  fugitives  written  an  ironical  letter  to  the 
commander,  thanking  him  for  his  tenderness,  humanity  and 
extreme  kindness,  and  foolishly  acquainting  him  with  the 
method  he  took  to  effect  his  escape ;  and  this  led  to  his  re- 
capture. Another  fellow  had  the  address  to  conceal  him- 
self in  an  old  worn  out  copper  that  was  sent  to  the  dock  to 
be  exchanged  for  a  new  one.  This  man  got  safe  out  of  the 
copper,  but  he  found  himself  as  bad  off  in  the  dock  as  in  the 
prison  ship.  After  rovmg  and  rambling  about  the  dock,  he 
was  taken  up  by  the  guard,  and  rather  than  be  sent  on  board 
a  man  of  war,  he  confessed  he  had  broken  out  of  the  prison 
ship;  and  he  was  immediately  brought  back  to  his  former 
companions. 

A  rage  exists  for  cutting  holes  through  the  wood  work  and 
copper  of  the  ship ;  but  no  one  has  succeeded  in  escaping 
through  them ;  neither  have  the  enemy  succeeded  in  their 
search  after  our  tools.  The  holes  were  always  discovered 
as  the  men  were  ready  to  enter  the  breach,  which  led  us  to 
suspect  that  we  have  secret  informers  among  our  crew,  per- 
haps some  Irish,  Dane,  or  Dutchman. 

A  most  daring  attempt  to  escape  was  made  on  board  the 
commodore's  ship,  the  Irresistible,  by  four  American  prison- 
ers. It  is  worth  relating  for  its  boldness ;  for  it  was  in  the 
open  day,  when  all  eyes  were  upon  them.  The  jolly-boat 
lay  near  the  stairs,  with  her  oars  in,  under  the  care  of  a  sen- 
try. Notwithstanding  she  was  thus  guarded,  four  brave 
Americans  resolved  to  seize  her  in  spite  of  musketry,  and 
row  on  shore,  and  run  for  it.  One  of  them  was  from  Rhode 
Island,  being  an  Indian  of  the  Narraganset  tribe ;  he  was 
a  man  of  large  stature  and  remarkable  strength ;  and  it  was 
agreed  that  he  should  lead  the  way,  in  the  bold  cnterprize. 
This  stout  man,  whose  name  I  wish  I  could  remember,  saw, 
as  he  thought,  a  favorable  moment,  and  went  down  the  side 
of  the  ship,  followed  by  three  others ;  he  seized  the  sentry, 
and,  in  a  moment,  disarmed  him,  and  threw  him  into  the  jol- 
ly-boat, which  was  below  the  staging,  where  the  sentinel 
was  placed.  He  immediately  jumped  in  after  him,  the  other 


JOURNAL.  1 1 1 

three  closely  followed  him,  when  they  instantly  pushed  off, 
snatched  up  the  oars,  and  rowed  direct  for  the  shore,  with 
the  agility  of  so  many  Nantucket- whalemen.  The  rapidity 
and  complete  effect  with  which  all  this  was  done,  was  as- 
tonishing to  the  British !  They  were,  however,  soon  fired 
upon  by  all  the  sentries,  v  ho  had  any  chance  of  reaching 
th«-.-m,  from  all  the  shi;,s  as  aey  passed.  They  got  out  their 
numerous  boats  with  all  s^.-eed ;  and  placed  in  the  bow  of  each  • 
as  many  marines  ;*s  cou!  i  well  stand;  and  these  kept  up  a 
continued  fire  of  musketry  upon  the  four  fugitives  in  the  jolly- 
boat,  ballcsted  with  a  British  prisoner.  Notwithstanding 
close  and  heavy  firing,  they  wounded  but  one  of  the  four; 
so  that  three  of  them  wore  able  to  run  for  it  when  the  boat 
reached  the  shore.  As  soon  as  they  sat  foot  on  shore,  they 
made  directly  for  the  fields.  The  marines  soon  followed, 
firing  every  few  moments  upon  them,  but  without  hitting 
them.  Our  men  so  completely  distanced  them,  that  we  all 
thought  they  would  make  their  escape  from  his  majesty's 
marines  ,  and  they  would  have  effected  it,  had  not  the  coun- 
try people  poured  out  of  the  farm-houses,  and  the  brick-yards. 
In  a  few  minutes  the  fields  appeared  covered  with  people. 
They  outran  the  marines,  and  pursued  our  brave  adventur- 
ers so  closely  from  all  points,  that  they  exhausted  them  of 
breath,  and  fairly  run  them  down,  all  except  the  nervous 
Indian,  and  he  did  honor  to  the  Narraganset  tribe,  and  his 
brave  ancestors,  so  renowned  in  New  England  history.  We 
saw  him  from  the  Crown  Prince  prison  ship,  skipping  over 
the  ground  like  a  buck,  and  defying  his  pursuers  ;  but  unfor- 
tunately for  this  son  of  the  forest,  he  sprained  his  ancle  in 
leaping  a  fence,  which  compelled  him  to  surrender;  otherwise 
he  might  have  ran  on  to  London,  in  fair  chace,  before  they 
could  have  come  up  with  him. 

While  sitting  on  the  ground,  and  unable  to  walk,  by  reason 
of  his  dislocated  bone,  the  country  people  approached  him 
with  caution.  They  did  not  think  it  quite  safe  to  come  close 
up  to  a  man  of  his  extraordinary  stature,  and  commanding 
aspect.  He  was,  however  soon  surrounded  by  a  large  num- 
ber of  marines,  who  had  the  great  honor  of  recapturing  a  lame 
Indian,  and  Conducting  him  back  again  to  his  Britannic  maj- 
esty's fleet  of  three  deckers,  at  anchor  off  his  royal  dock  of 
Chatham! 

We  mr-'le  several  attempts  to  gain  our  liberty  while  lying 
in  the  river  Medway  ;  but  none  of  our  daring  fcats  equaiied 


'112  JOURNAL. 

this  of  the  Indian.  We  gave  him  the  name  of  Baron  Trend , 
and  pronounced  him  his  superior ;  for  he  had  to  pass  the  fire 
of  several  ships  ;  and  the  jolly-boat  appeared  to  be  surround- 
ed'in  a  shower  of  shot,  and  yet  only  onf^ian  was  wounded 
in  the  leg.  When  the  Indian  had  made  the  fields,  and  was 
ascending  the  rising  ground,  all  the  prisoners  in  our  ship 
gave  him  three  cheers.  We  cheered  him  as  he  came  along 
back  in  the  boat  with  his  comrades,  and  drank  their  healths 
in  the  first  liquor  we  obtained.  It  is  for  deeds  of  bravery, 
and  indications  of  a  commanding  mind,  and  superior  strength, 
and  agility  of  body,  that  our  aboriginals  in  North  America, 
appoint  their  kings  ;  and  certainly  there  is  more  sense  and 
reason  in  it,  than  making  the  son  a  king  because  his  father 
was  king.  This  Indian  was,  by  nature,  a  commander. 

Something  of  the  same  cool  and  daring  character  was  con- 
spicuous in  the  master  and  crew  of  a  very  small  New  Eng- 
land schooner,  in  September  1759,  when  General  Wolfe 
was  investing  Quebec  by  sea  and  land,  and  when  the  army 
and  fleet  under  admiral  Holmes,  were  cannonading  and  bom- 
barding the  city  and  numerous  batteries  of  the  French. 

Amidst  the  grand  movements  of  the  army  and  navy,  a 
schooner  of  the  most  diminutive  size,  which  the  navigator 
after  called  "  tJie  Terror  of  France?  weighed  her  little  anchor, 
and,  to  the  astonishment  of  every  one,  was  seen  sailing  past 
the  batteries,  up  to  the  city.  The  French  fired  a  great 
number  of  shot  at  her ;  nevertheless  Jonathan  steered  stead- 
ily on,  and  got  safe  up.  with  her  colors  flying ;  and  coming 
to  anchor  in  the  upper  river,  she  triumphantly  saluted  admi- 
ral Holmes  with  a  discharge  from  all  her  swivels.  She  met 
with  no  accident,  except  one  man  being  slightly  wounded 
on  board.  During  this,  says  captain  Knox,  our  batteries  fired 
briskly  on  the  town,  to  favor  her  as  she  passed.  While  the 
of/leers  and  gunners  were  enraged  at  what  they  deemed  a 
contempt  of  their  formidable  batteries,  other  officers  apolo- 
gized afterwards  for  firing  at  this  diminutive  vessel,  which 
was  not  much  bigger  than  a  man  of  war's  launch,  observing, 
that  they  imagined  her  passing  to  be  the  result  of  a  frolic- 
some wager.  They  little  thought  that  she  was  a  New  Eng- 
land trader,  or  rather  huxter,  ladened  with  noticns,  such  as 
apples,  dried  and  green,  apple-sauce,  onions,  cheese,  molass- 
es, New  England  rum,  and  gingerbread,  and  a  number  of  lit- 
tle ditto's,  suitable,  as  the  skipper  thought,  for  the  Quebec 
ftiarket,  after  it  should  have  changed  masters. 


J  OURNAL. 

When  the  Captain  of  this  famous  little  schr o  icr  went  on 
board  the  British  admiral,  he  enquired  the  name  of  his  ves- 
sel. He  replied,  "  The  Terror  of  France  ;"  which  was  paint- 
ed on  her  stern.  How  are  you  armed  ?  We  have  four  swiv- 
els, three  muskets ,  and  one  cutlass,  beside  a  broad  axe.  How 

many  men  have  you  ?  We  have  three  souls  and  a  boy. 

And  where  does  your  vessel  belong,  Captain,  when  you  are 
at  home  ?  Updike's  Newtown.  And  where  is  that,  Sir  ? 
Does  not  Admiral  Holmes  know  where  Updike's  Ncwtown  is  ? 
says  Jonathan,  with  a  look  of  surprize.  I  do  not  at  this  mo- 
ment recollect,  Sir.  Why  Updike's  Ncrvtown  is  half  nay 
betwixt  Pautuxet  and  Connanicut.  The  British  admiral  did 
not  choose  to  risk  his  reputation  with  this  fearless  water- 
fowl, by  asking  him  any  more  geographical  questions. 

We  have  dwelt  on  this  ludicrous  anecdote  for  the  sake  of 
one  serious  remark.  Capt.  John  Knox,  of  the  43d  British 
regiment,  whose  Historical  Journal,  in  2  volumes  quarto,  is 
dedicated  to  General  Lord  Amherst,  never  once  intimates 
that  this  courageous  man  was  from  New  England,  but  leaves 
the  reader  to  infer  that  he  and  his  "  three  souls  and  a  boy," 
were  Englishmen.  In  this  way  have  all  the  British  writers 
treated  us  Americans,  although  we  all  know  in  this  country, 
that  Louisburg  was  taken  by  New-England-men.  Through- 
out the  whole  war  of  1758,  and  1759,  the  English  strained 
their  voices  to  magnify  themselves,  and  debase  our  character. 

In  this  anecdote  we  see  the  first  glimmerings  of  the  New 
England  character,  which  defies  all  danger,  in  the  pursuit 
of  gain.  Here  we  see  the  characteristic  marks  of  the  Yan- 
kee, full  twenty  years  before  that  term  was  ever  used.  The 
greatest  things  were  once  in  embryo.  These  incipient 
germs  will  one  day  grow  up  to  a  naval  and  commercial 
greatness,  that  will  infallibly  push  into  the  back-ground  the 
conquerors  of  Quebec;  arid  the  spirit,  which  impelled  and 
directed  that  diminitive  schooner  in  passing  safely  hundreds 
of  heavy  cannon,  and  showers  of  bombs,  may  one  day  be- 
come not  only  the  terror  of  France,  but  of  England  also. 
Great  effects  flew  from  trifling  causes.  It  was  a  woman's* 
love  of  finery  that  peopled  New  England. 

It  was,  to  be  sure,  an  extraordinary  .sight,  mixed  with 
something  of  the  ludicrous,  to  see  three  white  Americans, 
and  one  Indian,  with  a  disarmed  British  red  coat  under  their 

*  Queen  Elizabeth. 
10 


$14  JOURNAL. 

ITet,  in  the  jolly-boat,  not  daring  to  raise  his  head,  while 
about  thirty  boats,  with  above  250  seamen,  and  nearly  as 
many  marines,  were  rowing,  and  puffing  and  blowing,  and 
firing  and  loading,  and  loading  and  firing  at  a  small  boat, 
containing  three  American  seamen  and  one  Indian,  without 
any  weapon  or  instrument,  except  the  oars  they  rowed  with  ! 
While  the  British  marines  were  ruffling  the  water  around 
the  flying  boat  with  their  bullets,  we,  on  board  the  prison* 
ships,  sensible  of  their  danger,  felt  as  much  interest,  and  pro- 
bably more  apprehension,  than  the  fugitives  themselves. — 
It  was  an  anxious  period  of  hope,  fear  and  animating  pride, 
•which  sometimes  petrified  us  into  silence,  and  then  caused 
us  to  rend  the  air  with  acclamalions,  and  clapping  of  hands. 
The  Indian  was,  however,  the  hero  of  the  piece.     We  saw, 
and  admired  his  energetic  mind,  his  abhorrence  of  captivi- 
ty, and  his  irresistible  love  of  freedom.     This  fellow  was 
not,  probably,   at  all  below  some  of  the   Grecian  captains, 
•who  went  to  the  siege  of  Troy;  and  he  only  wanted  the 
advantages  of  education/ and  of  modern  discipline,  to  have 
become  a  distinguished  commander.     The  inspiring  love  of 
liberty  was  all  the  theme,  after  the  daring  exploit  of  our 
countrymen  ;  and  it  made  us  uneasy,  and  stimulated   us  to 
contemplate  similar  acts  of  hardihoocL     We  had  now  be- 
come pretty  nearly  tired  of  cutting  holes  through  the  ship  e 
bottom  and  sides-  for  it  was  always  directed,  and  we  .were 
made  to  pay  for  repairing  the  damage  out  of  our  provisions. 
After  seeing  what/owr  men  could  effect,  our  thoughts  turn- 
ed more  upon  a  general  insurrection,  than  upon  the  partial 
escapes  of  a  few,     We  perceived,  clearly  enough,  that  our 
keepers  dreaded  our  enterprizing  spirit ;  and  we  could  dis 
cover  that  they  knew  we  despised  them,  and  ridiculed  them. 
Some  of  our  saucy  boys,  studying  arithmetic,  with  their 
s'r,tes  and  pencils  in  their  hands,  would  say  out  loud,  as  it 
stating  a  sum,  «  if  it  look  350  British  seamen  and  marines  to 
catch  four  yankccs,  hwv  many  British  sailors  and  marines 
would  it  take  to  catch  ten  thousand  of  us  f" 

We  could  perceive  a  general  uneasiness  throughout  our 

ship  :  even  our  good  friend,  Mr. ,  the  worthy  Scotch- 

man,  said  to  me,  about  this  time,  «  your  countrymen  are 
«  such  a  restless,  daring  set  of  beings,  that  it  is  not  safe  1 
«  befriend  you,  and  I  wish  you  were  all  safe  and   happy  m 
«  vour  own  country ;  and  all  of  us  at  peace."     A  chafi? 
situation  was  foretold  ;  but  of  what  kind,  we  know  not 
The  next  chapter  will  inform  us  ail  about  i 


PART  SECOND. 


CHAPTER  If 

IN  consequence  of  various  attempts  to  escape  prison, 
and  of  the  late  daring  enterprise  at  noon-day,  the  officers 
of  this  ignoble  fleet  of  prison  ships  grew  very  uneasy. — 
They,  doubtless,  felt  that  there  was  neither  honor  nor  plea- 
sure, but  much  danger,  in  this  sort  of  service*  It  was  often 
said  among  them,  that  they  felt  perfectly  safe  when  they 
had  several  thousand  French  prisoners  under  their  charge. 
These  lively  people  passed  their  time  in  little  ingenious 
manufactures,  and  in  gaming  ;  and  seemed  to  wait  patient- 
ly until  their  day  of  liberation  should  come  -r  but  these 
Americans,  said  they,  are  the  most  restless,  contriving  set 
of  men  we  ever  saw ;  their  amusement  seems  to  be  con- 
triving how  to  escape,  and  to  plague  their  keepers.  They 
seem  to  take  a  pleasure  in  making  us  uneasy,  and  in  excit- 
ing our  apprehensions  of  their  escape  ;  and  then  they  laugh 
and  make  themselves  merry  at  our  anxiety.  One  of  the 
officers  said,  that  the  American  prisoners  "  had  systematized 
the  art  of  tormenting."  There  is  a  sort  of  mischievous  hu- 
mor among  our  fellows,  that  is,  at  times,  rather  provoking, 
to  officers  habituated  to  prompt  obedience,  and  to  a  distance, 
and  deference  bordering  upon  awe,  which  our  countrymen 
never  feel  for  any  man. 

It  seems  that  the  British  government,  or  the  admiralty 
department,  were  fully  acquainted  with  this  state  of  things, 
and  with  the  difficult  task  which  the  miserable  officers  of 
this  miserable  Medway-fleet  had  to  perform.  The  govern- 
ment did  not  seem  to  wish  to  exercise  a  greater  degree  of 
rigor  over  the  American  prisoners;  because  they  knew* 
and  all  Europe  knew,  that  the  United  States  treated  their 
prisoners  with  distinguished  humanity  ;  and  yet  they  firmly 
believed,  that  unless  more  rigor  was  exercised,  the  Amer& 


1 1  6  JOURNAL. 

cans  would  rise  upon  their  keepers  before  the  winter  com- 
menced. 

The  rumor  is,  that  we  are  to  be  sent  to  Dartmoor  prison. 
Sc-me  of  our  crew  have  lately  received  a  letter  from  a  pris- 
oner in  that  depot  of  misery,  for  such  he  describes  it.  He 
tells  us  that  it  is  situated  in  the  most  dreary  and  unculti- 
vated spot  in  England  ;  and  that  to  the  sterility  of  the  soil 
are  added  the  black  coloring  of  superstition. 

A  Moor,  a  word  not  used  in  America,  is  used  in  England 
to  denote  a  low,  marshy  piece  of  ground,  or  an  elevated 
sterile  spot,  like  our  pine-barren's,  divested  of  every  thing 
like  a  pine  tree.  It  denotes  something  between  a  beach 
and  a  meadow.  It  is  a  solemn-faced-truth  in  this  country 
of  our  superstitious  ancestors,  that  every  extensive  and  drea- 
ry moor,  in  England,  is  haunted  by  troubled  ghosts,  witches, 
and  walking  dead  men,  visiting,  in  a  sociable  way,  each 
other's  graves.  It  is  really  surprising,  to  an  intelligent 
American,  and  incredible,  that  stout,  hearty,  and  otherwise 
bold  Englishmen,  dare  not  walk  alone  over  the  dreary  spot, 
or  moor,  where  the  prison  now  stands,  in  a  dark  and  cloudy 
night,  without  trembling  with  horror,  at  a  nothing !  The 
minds  of  Scotchmen,  of  all  ranks,  are  more  or  less  becloud- 
ed with  this  sort  of  superstition.  They  still  believe  in 
ghosts,  witches,  and  a  second  sight !  Free  as  we  are  from 
this  superstition,  wre  have  rather  more  of  it  than  the  French. 
The  English  and  American  theatres  still  relish  Macbeth 
and  Hamlet.  Beside  the  stories  of  witches  flying  about  in 
the  air,  and  deed  men  strolling  over  the  moor,  the  letter 
contained  an  account  of  the  origin  of  this  new  famous  pris- 
on. It  stated  that  this  Dartmoor  belonged  to  that  beauti- 
ful gambler,  the  Dutchess  of  Devonshire  ;*  who  lost  it  in  a 
game  of  hazard  with  the  Prince  of  Wales ;  who,  to  enhance 
the  value  of  it,  (he  being,  as  all  the  world  knows,  a  very 
contriving,  speculating,  economical,  close  fisted,  miserly 
genius)  contrived  to  have  erected  there  a  species  of  a  for- 
tress, enclosing  seven  very  large  buildings,  or  prisons,  for 
the  reception  of  captured  seamen ;  from  which  establish- 
ment its  royal  landlord  received  a  very  handsome  annual 
rent ;  and  this  princely  anecdote  is  as  firmly  believed  as 

*  The  letter  writer,  we  swspect,  had  not  studied,  carefully,  the 
law?  and  customs  of  England,  where  all  landed  property  belongs  to 
the  king  ;  who  allows  the  eldest  maJ-z  qf  a  family  to  possess  it  during 
ki.s  good  behaviour,. 


JOURNAL.  If! 

the  stories  of  the  witches,  and  the  walking  dead  men.  The 
only  remark  we  would  make  upon  it  here,  is,  that  Dartmoor 
has  a  dismal  idea  associated  with  it — and  that  was  suffi- 
cient to  make  our  people  conceive  of  it  as  a  place  doleful 
as  a  coal-pit. 

Not  long  after  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  of  our  countrymen  were  sent  oft',  by  water,  to  this 
Dartmoor  Prison ;  but  the  measles  appearing  among  them, 
they  were  stopped  at  the  Nore,  which  is  at  the  entrance  of 
the  Thames.  They  are  every  day  drafting  more,  which 
are  destined  for  the  dismal  prison  house.  We  are  all  struck 
with  horror  at  the  idea  of  our  removal  from  our  ships  in  the 
river  Medway,  which  runs  through  a  beautiful  country?  It 
is  "  the  untried  scene,"  that  fills  us  with  dread,  "  for  clouds 
and  darkness  rest  upon  it."  Last  year  we  were  transported 
from  inhospitable  Nova  Scotia,  over  the  boisterous  Atlan- 
lantic  ;  and  suffered  incredible  hardships  in  a  rough  winter 
p  issage ;  and  now  we  are  to  be  launched  again  on  the  same 
tumultuous  ocean,  to  go  four  hundred  miles  coast- wise,  to  the 
most  dismal  spot  in  England.  Who  will  believe  it  ?  the 
men  who  exercised  all  their  art  and  contrivance,  and  exert- 
ed all  their  muscular  powers  to  cut  through  the  double  plank- 
ings and  copper  of  a  ship  of  the  line,  in  hopes  of  escaping^ 
from  her,  now  leave  the  same  ship  with  regret  I  I  have 
read  of  men  who  had  been  imprisoned,  many  years,  in  the 
Bastile,  who,  when  liberated,  sighed  to  return  to  their  place 
of  long  confinement,  and  felt  unhappy  out  of  it !  I  thought 
it  wondrous  strange  ^  but  1  now  cease  to  be  surprised.  This 
prison  ship,  through  long  habit,  and  the  dread  of  a  worse 
place,  is  actually  viewed  with  feelings  of  attachment.  Of 
the  hundred  men  who  were  sent  hither  last  year,  from  Hal- 
ifax, there  are  only  about  seventy  of  us  remaining  on  board 
the  Crown  Prince.  The  next  draft  will  lessen  our  nuni- 
hers  ;  and  separate  some  of  those  who  have  been  long  asso- 
ciates in  bondage.  It  is  not  merely  the  bodily  inconven- 
ience of  being  transported  here  and  there,  that  we  dread,  so 
much  as  the  exposure  to  insult,  and  sarcasm  of  ouf  unfeeling 
enemies.  We  have  been,  and  still  tjread  to  be  again  placed 
in  rows,  on  board  of  a  ship,  or  in  a  prison  yard,  to  be  stared 
at  by  the  British  vulgar,  just  as  if  we  were  Cluinea  negroes, 
exposed  to  the  examination  of  some  seoimdi-el  negro  mer- 
chants, commissioned  to  re-stock  a  plantation  with  black: 
eattle,  capable  of  thinking,  talking,  laughing  and 


118  JOUSNAL, 

Tins  is  not  all.  We  have  been  obliged  often  ta  emTure 
speeches  of  this  sort,  most,  commonly  uttered  in  the  Scotch 
accent. — "My  life  on't  that  fellow  is  a  reaegado  Englishman, 
"  or  Irishman — an  halter  will  be,  I  hope,  his  portion.  D — ri 
**  all  such  rebel-looking  rascals."  Whatever  our  feelings 
and  resentments  may  be  on  account  of  impressment,  inhu- 
man treatment,  and  plundering  our  fobs  and  pockets,  and 
of  our  clothing,  we  never  speak  of  the  British  king  and  gov- 
ernment in  terms  of  gross  indecency ;  whereas,  we  Ameri- 
can prisoners  of  war,  are  often  assailed  with  the  bitterest 
sarcasms,  and  curses  of  the  President  of  the  UNITED  STATES, 
the  CONGRESS,  and  some  of  our  military  commanders, 

The  British  have  been  long  in  the  habit  of  treating  the 
.Americans  contemptuously.  It  began  as  long  ago  as  1757, 
LordLoudoun,  General  Abercromby*  Admiral  Holhorne, 
Admiral  Boscawen,  Lord  CoMlle,  Sir  Jcffry  Amherst,  and 
Chric  ral  Wolfe,  came  over  here  to  cut  the*  wings  and  tail  of 
the  wild  descendants  of  Englishmen,  in  order  to  make  of 
them  a  kind  of  sea  poy  soldiery.  It  is  a  curious  fact,  that 
some  of  the  Scotch  high  landers  were  at  that  time  shot  by 
our  Yankee  sentinels,  because  they  did  not  know  enough 
of  the  English  language  to  give  Jonathan  the  counter-sign  ! 
Bo  long  ago  did  mutual  contempt  begin  between  the  na- 
tives of  Old  England  and  New. 

I  have  already  mentioned  that  al!  my  family,  as  well  as 
myself,  were  what  they  called  "  Federalists?  or  fault-finders  ^ 
and  opposers  of  Madison 'S  administration  ;  and  that  I,  and 
all  the  rest  of  us,  dropt  every  trait  of  federalism  in  the  Brit- 
ish prisons,  wrhere,  to  calj,,a  man  a  Federalist^  was  resented 
as  the  deepest  insult  I  appeal  to  all  my  compaBions  in 
-misery,  for  the  accuracy  of  this  opinion,  A  man  who  is 
•willing  to  expose  his  life  to  the  bails  and  bayonets  of  his 
country's  foes,  to  the  enemies  of  his  government,  and  to 
the  independence  and  union  of  his  nation,  holds  his  country 
an&  the  government  of  his  choice,  in  higher  estimation  than 
}\is  life.  Such  a  man  cannot  hear  the  United  States  and 
their  President  spoken  of  in  terms  of  contempt,  without 
feeling  the  keenest  anguish.  This  I  have  felt;  and  have 
remarked  its  effects  in  the  countenances  of  my  insulted 
comrades.  Situated  as  we  are,  it  would  be  great  imprudence 
to  resent  what  we  are  often  obliged  to  hear.  Captivity, 
trader  British  prison-keepers,  and  British  captains  of  trans- 
pert- men-of-war,  are  the  proper  colleges  for  teaching  th^ 


JOURNAL,  11 & 

love  of  our  republican  government,  and  attachment  to 
its  administration  ;  and  they  are  proper  places  to  make 
the  rankest  federalist  abjure  his  errors,  and  cling  to  the 
constituted  authorities  of  the  country  whose  Hag  he  adores, 
and  for  whose  defence  he  exposes  his  life.  It  is  inconceiv- 
able how  closely  we  are  here  pressed  together  in  the  cause 
of  our  dear  country  ;  and  in  honor  of  its  high  officers.  Were 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  as  unanimous  in 
their  political  sentiments,  as  we  are,  in  the  river  Medway, 
they  would  all  be  ready  to  exclaim,  each  man  to  his  neigh- 
bour, 

j»Rouse,  and  revive  your  ancient  glory, 
UJVITE — and  drive  the  world  before  you. 

July  Is?,  1813. — Our  feelings  are  all  alive  at  this  joyous 
season,  for  we  are  now  making  preparations  for  celebrating 
the  birth-day  of  our  nation ;  and  though  in  captivity,  we 
are  determined  not  to  suffer  the  glorious  Fourth  of  July  to 
pass  over  without  testifying  our  undivided  attachment  to 
our  beloved  country,  and  to  the  cause  it  is  fighting  for.- — 
Each  mess  are  making  arrangements  in,  besure,  a  small  and 
humble,  but  a  hearty  way,  for  the  celebration ;  and  it  is 
a  curious  spectacle  to  see  the  pleasureable  anticipations  of 
the  prisoners,  in  a  feast  of  good  things,  all  of  which  would 
not  amount  to  so  plentiful  a  repast,  as  that  which  the  crim- 
inals in  our  State  Prison,  near  Boston,  enjoy  almost  every 
day,  the  plenty  of  good  porter  excepted.  Application  has 
been  made  to  Capt.  Hutchinson,  for  aa  additional  allowance 
of  beer  and  porter,  which  request  he  has  granted,  with  his 
usual  goodness.  Every  brain  is  at  work  to  know  how  to 
spend  what  we  have  been  accumulating  for  the  Fourth  of 
July,  with  the  most  pleasure,  and  the  most  propriety. 

The  FOURTH  OF  JULY,  1813,  is  past.  We  petitioned 
the  commander  to  allow  us  to  hoist  the  American  flag,  but 
he  refused  to  gratify  us.  Application  was  then  made  to 
the  Commodore,  who  gave  permission  that  we  might  hoist 
our  national  colors,  as  high  as  the  top  of  our  railings  ;  and 
the  same  permission  was  granted  to  all  the  other  prison  ships. 
We  had  obtained  a  drum  and  fife  ;  and  being  all  assembled 
on  the  forecastle,  and  Buch  other  parts  of  the  ship  as  were 
accessible  to  us,  prisoners,  we  in  the  morning  struck  up  the 
animating  tune  of  Yankee  Doodle  ;  and  saluted  the  Nassia 
ship  with  three  cheers,  which  -was  returned;  the 


120  JOURNAL. 

ships  more  distant  caught  the  joyful  sound,  and  echoed  it 
back  to  its  source.  The  fife  and  drum,  the  latter  ornament- 
ed with  the  king's  arms,  played  the  whole  forenoon,  while 
the  jovial  prisoners  drank,  in  English  porter,  SUCCESS  TO 
THE  AMERICAN  CAUSE  ! 

At  twelve  o'clock,  an  Oration,  hastily  prepared,  arid  rath- 
er too  inflammatory  for  about  a  tenth  part  of  our  audience, 
was  delivered,  by  a  prisoner  of  respectable  talents  ;  a  man, 
who,  having  been  impressed  into  the  British  service,  had 
been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  boatswain  of  a  frigate ;  and 
liberated  from  the  service  in  consequence  of  his  declaring 
it  against  his  honor  and  conscience  to  fight  against  his 
countrymen,  or  aid  in  pulling  down  the  colors  of  his  nation, 
This  man,  very  deliberately,  mounted  an  elevation,  and  with 
great  force,  and  with  a  characteristical  freedom,  pronounced 
an  Address,  which  the  prisoners  listened  to  with  profound 
silence,  excepting  the  clapping  of  hands,  and  sometimes 
cheers,  at  the  end  of  such  sentences  as  warmed  and  over- 
powered their  silence.  At  the  elose  of  the  whole,  the  ora- 
tor was  greeted  writh  three  times,  three  cheers,  throughout 
the  ship,  which  reached  even  to  the  shores.  The  oratory 
of  the  boatswain  seemed  to  electrify  the  officers  and  men  set 
over  us.  The  master  and  the  surgeon  appeared  really 
pleased  ;  even  Osmer,  our  jailor,  "  grinn'd  horribly  a  ghastly 
smile." 

After  the  Oration,  we  returned  below  to  our  prepared  din- 
ners, at  which  our  reverend  orator  asked  a  blessing,  with 
more  fervor  than  is  commonly  observed  in  our  Cossack  cler- 
gymen ;  and  we  fell  to,  with  a  zest  and  hilarity  rarely  to  be 
found  among  a  large  collection  of  prisoners.  If,  like  the 
eaptive  Jews  on  the  Euphrates,  we  had  hung  our  harps  up- 
on the  willows  of  the  Medway,  we  took  them  down  on  this 
joyous  occasion.  We  felt  the  spirit  of  freedom  glow  within 
us ;  and  we  anticipated  the  day  when  we  should  celebrate 
our  anniversary  in  that  dear  land  of  liberty,  which  we  longed 
to  see,  and  panted  after,  as  the  thirsty  hart  pants  after  the 
water  brooks. 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  in  a  very  becoming 
manner  on  board  the  Nassau  prison  ship,  by  similar  acts  of 
i-ejoicing.  I  have  obtained  a  copy  of  the  Oration,  delivered 
by  a  seaman,  on  that  day.  Among  the  audience,  were  sev- 
sral  ladies  and  gentlemen  from  the  neighbourhood* 


JOURNAL.  121 


AN  ORATION,* 

Delivered  by  permission,  on  board  the  Nassau  prison  ship, 
at  Chatham,  England,  by  an  American  Seaman,  prisoner 
cf  war. 

MY    FELLOW   PRISONERS,   AND   BELOVED   COUNTRYMEN, 

WE  are  assembled  to  commemorate  that  ever  memorable  Fourth 
of  July,  1776,  when  our  forefathers,  inspired  with  the  love  of  liberty, 
dared  to  divest  themselves  of  the  shackles  of  tyranny  and  oppression  : 
yes,  my  friends,  on  that  important  day  these  stripes  were  hoisted  on 
the  standard  of  liberty,  as  a  signal  of  unity,  and  of  their  determination 
to  fight  under  them,  until  America  was  numbered  among  the  nations 
of  the  globe,  as  one  of  them,  a  free  and  independent  nation.  Yes, 
my  countrymen,  she  was  determined  to  spare  neither  blood  nor  treas- 
ure, until  she  had  accomplished  the  grand  object  of  her  intentions  ; 
an  object,  my  friends,  which  she  was  prompted  by  Heaven  to  under- 
take, and  inspired  by  all  that  honor,  justice,  and  patriotism  could  in- 
fuse ;  her  armies  were  then  in  the  field,  with  a  WASHINGTON  at  their 
head,  whose  upright  conduct  and  valorous  deeds  you  have  often 
heard  related,  and  the  memory  of  whom  should  be  held  sacred  in  the 
breasts  of  every  true-born  American.  Let  his  heart  beat  high  at  the 
name  of  WASHINGTON  !  Sacred  as  the  archives  of  heaven  !  for  he 
was  a  man  of  truth,  honor,  and  integrity,  and  a  soldier  fostered  bj 
the  gods,  to  be  the  saviour  of  his  country. 

The  struggle  was  long  and  arduous  ;  but  our  rallying  word  was — 
"'  Libertjr  or  Death  !"  Torrents  of  blood  were  spilt  ;  towns  and  vil- 
lages were  burnt,  and  nothing  but  havoc,  devastation  and  destruction, 
was  seen  from  one  end  of  the  continent  to  the  other  ;  find  this  was 
not  all  ;  but,  to  complete  the  horrid  scene,  an  infernal  horde  of  sav- 
age murderers  was  prompted  by  our  enemy  to  butcher  our  helpless 
wives  and  children  !  Then  did  our  fathers'  patriotic  hearts  swell  in 
their  bosoms,  and  they  were  ten-fold  more  resolved  to  break  the  yoke 
of  the  tyrant. 

I  recite  these  things,  my  countrymen,  that  you  may  know  how  to 
prize  your  liberty,  that  precious  gem  for  which  your  fathers  fought, 
wading  in  rivers  of  blood,  until  it  pleased  the  Almighty  to  crown  their 
arms  with  success ;  and,  glorious  to  relate,  America  was  acknowledg- 
ed free  and  independent,  by  all  the  powers  of  Europe.  Happy  pe- 
riod !  then  did  our  warriors  exult  in  what  they  had  so  nobly  achiev- 
ed ;  then  commerce  revived,  and  the  thirteen  stripes  were  hoi.-'-kd 
upon  the  tall  masts  of  our  ships,  and  displayed  from  pole  to  pole  ; 
e migrants  flocked  from  many  parts  to  taste  our  freedom,  and  other 
blessings  heaven  had  bestowed  upon  us  ;  our  population  increased  to 
un  incredible  degree  ;  our  commerce  nourished,  and  our  country  htn» 
been  the  seat  of  peace,  plenty  and  happiness,  for  many  years.  At 

*  This  Oration  was  first  printed  in  England. 


122  JOURNAL. 

length  the  fatal  blast  reached  our  land  !  America  was  obliged  to  UH- 
sheath  the  sword  in  justification  of  her  violated  rights.  Our  ship? 
were  captured  and  condemned  upon  frivolous  pretensions  ;  our  sea- 
men were  dragged  from  their  lawful  employment ;  they  were  torn 
from  the  bosom  of  their  beloved  country  ;  sons  from  their  fathers  ; 
husbands  from  their  wives  and  children,  to  serve  with  reluctance  for 
many  years,  under  the  severity  of  a  martial  law.  The  truth  of  this 
many  of  you  can  attest  tor  perhaps  with  inward  pining  and  a  bleeding 
heart  ! 

My  countrymen  I  I  did  not  mount  this  rostrum  to  inveigh  against 
the  British  ;  only  the  demagogues,  the  war  faction  I  exclaim  against. 
We  all  know,  and  that  full  well,  that  there  are  many  honest,  patriot- 
ic men  in  this  country,  who  would  raise  their  voices  to  succour  us, 
and  their  arms  too,  could  they  do  it  with  impunity.  The  sympathet- 
ic hearts  of  the  good,  feel  for  the  oppressed  in  all  climes.  And  now, 
my  countrymen,  it  is  more  than  probable,  that  the  land  of  your  nativ- 
ity will  be  involved  in  war,  and  deluged  in  blood,  for  some  time  to 
come  ;  yes,  my  friends,  that  happy  country,  which  is  the  guardian  of 
every  thing  you  possess,  that  you  esteem,  near  and  dear,  has  again  to 
struggle  for  her  liberty.  The  British  war  faction  are  rushing  upon  us 
witlT  their  fleets  and  armies,  thinking,  perhaps,  to  crush  us  in  a  mo- 
ment. Strange  infatuation!  They  have  forgotten  Bunker's  Hill  ! 
They  have  forgotten  Saratoga,  and  Yorktown,  when  the  immortal 
WASHINGTON,  with  his  victorious  army,  chased  them  through  the 
Jerseys,  under  the  muzzles  of  their  ship's  cannon  for  protection  !  They 
have  forgotten  that  the  sons  of  America  have  as  good  blood  in  their 
veins,  and  possess  as  sound  limbs  and  nerves  as  they  ;  strange  infatu- 
ation !  I  repeat  it,  if  they  presume  to  think  that  eight  millions  of  free 
people  will  be  very  easily  divested  of  their  liberty  ;  my  word  for  it, 
they  will  not  give  up  at  the  sight  of  their  men-of-war,  or  their  red 
coats  ;  no,  my  friends,  they  will  meet  the  lads  who  will  play  them 
the  tune  of  yankee  doodle,  as  well  as  they  did  at  Lexington,  or  Bun- 
ker Hill.  Besides,  my  countrymen,  there  is  a  plant  in  that  country, 
(very  little  of  which  grows  any  where  else)  the  infusion  of  which 
stimulates  the  true  sons  of  America  to  deeds  of  valor.  There  is  some-  - 
thing  so  fostering  in  the  very  sound  of  its  name,  that  it  holds  superi- 
ority wherever  it  grows  ;  it  is  a  sacred  plant,  my  friends,  its  name  is 
LIBERTY,  and  may  God  grant  that  that  plant  may  continue  to  grow 
in  the  United  States  of  America,  and  never  be  rooted  out  so  long  as 
it  shall  please  Him  to  continue  the  celestial  orb  to  roll  in  yon  azure 
expanse. 

Ah  J  Britons!  Britons!  had  your  counsellors  been  just,  and  had 
they  listened  with  attention,  and  followed  the  advice  of  the  immortal 
*  William  Pitt,  Britain  and  America  might  have  been  one  until  the 
present  hour ;  and  they,  united,  in  time  might  have  given  laws  to  the 
inhabitants  of  this  terrestrial  ball. 

Many  of  you,  my  friends,  have  voluntarily  embraced  this  loathsome 
prison  rather  than  betray  your  country  ;  for  by  the  laws  of  your  comi  - 
fry,  to  aid  or  give  any  assistance  to  an  enemy,  is  treason,  is  jnubha 

*  The  ctkkrattd  Earl  of  Chatham, 


JOURNAL,  123 

t>le  with  death.  I  hope,  therefore,  that  your  country  will  reward  you 
abundantly  for  your  toil.  And  one  and  all,  let  us  embrace  the  icy 
arms  of  death,  rather  than  cherish  the  least  symptoms  of  an  inclina- 
tion to  betray  our  country.  Some  have  done  it,  who  have  pretended 
(o  be  Americans,  so  far  as  to  shield  themselves  under  the  name. — 
Whether  they  were  real  Americans  or  not,  it  is  hard  for  me  to  say  ; 
but  if  they  were,  they  have  put  their  hand  to  the  plough,  and  not  on- 
ly looked  back,  but  have  gone  back.  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  but 
they  will  meet  their  reward  ;  that  is,  they  will  be  spumed  at  by  those 
Tory  people  that  laid  the  bait  for  them.  Such  characters  will  forev- 
er be  condemned,  and  held  in  detestation  by  both  parties.  There- 
fore all  you  who  feel  the  tide  of  true  American  blood  flow  through 
your  hearts,  I  hope  never  will  attempt  to  flee  from  the  allegiance  of 
your  country.  It  is  cowardice,  it  is  felony  ;  and  for  all  those  who 
have  done  it,  we  may  pray  that  the  departed  spirits  of  their  fathers, 
who  so  nobly  fought,  bled,  and  fell  in  the  conflict  to  gain  them  their 
liberty,  will  haunt  them  in  their  midnight  slumbers,  and  that  they  may 
feel  the  horrors  of  conscience  and  the  dread  of  a  gallows  !  Also,  that 
they  may  have  no  rest,  but  like  the  dove  that  Noah  sent  out  of  the 
ark,  be  restless  until  they  return  to  the  allegiance  of  their  country. — 
And  now,  my  countrymen,  let  us  join  in  unison  to  correct  our  own 
moral? ;  let  us  be  vigilant  over  ourselves  while  in  this  situation.  And 
although  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  assist  our  countrymen  in  the  pre- 
sent conflict,  yet  if  we  are  good  the  power  of  Heaven  will  fight  for 
us  ;  for  the  good  must  merit  God's  peculiar  care.  The  powers  oi 
Heaven  fought  for  us  ;  1hey  assisted  us  to  gain  our  liberty,  it  is  evi- 
dent from  the  very  circumstance,  that  in  our  struggle  with  Great  Bri- 
tain for  our  liberty,  we  had  no  navy,  or  none  of  any  consequence,  yet 
Great  Britain  los  t  more  line  of  battle  ships  in  that  war  than  she  did 
with  France,  although  France  is  a  great  naval  power.  And  we  should 
be  thankful  to  God  for  all  the  blessings  he  hath  bestowed  upon  us 
from  time  to  time,  and  in  particular  for  the  blessings  of  that  unity 
which  we  are  recently  informed  prevails  among  our  countrymen  in 
America ;  united  they  stand,  nor  will  the  powers  of  hell  be  able  to 
overthrow  them.  And  now  let  us  appeal  to  the  God  of  Sabaoth,  that 
i?,  to  the  God  of  armies — let  us  appeal  to  Him  who  holds  the  balance, 
and  weighs  the  events  of  battles  and  of  realms,  and  by  his  decision  \ve 
must  abide.  And  may  He  grant  us  health,  peace  and  unity  in  this 
our  disagreeable  situation  ;  and  let  us  all  join  in  concord  to  praise  the 
Jluler  and  Governor  of  the  universe.  Amen.  Amen, 

Among  the  songs  sung  on  this  occasion,  were  several  com- 
posed by  seafaring  people,  in  our  own  country.     The  fol 
lowing  drew  tears  from  the  eyes  of  our  generous  hearted 
sailors.     It  pathetically  describes  what  many  of  them  had 
experienced,  the   impressment  of  an  American    sailor  bey 
by  a  British  man  of  war,  the  tearing  up  of  his  legal  protec- 
tion, and  of  his  sinking  wider  a  broken  heart.     It  was  writ 
•v  Mr.  John  DC  Wolfe,  of  Rhode  Island, 


' 

124  JOURNAL. 

The  Impressment  of  an  American  Sailor  Boy. 

A  SONG, 

Sung  on  board  the  British  prison  ship  Croivn  Prince,  the  Fourth  of 
July,  1813,  by  a  number  of  the  American  prisoners. 

The  youthful  Sailor  mounts  the  bark, 

And  bids  each  weeping  friend  adieu  ; 
Fair  blows  the  gale,  the  canvass  swells  ; 

Slow  sinks  the  uplands  from  his  view. 

Three  mornings,  from  his  ocean  bed, 

Resplendent  beams  the  God  of  day  ; 
The  fourth,  high  looming  in  the  mist, 

A  war-ship's  floating  banners  play. 

Her  yawl  is  launch'd  ;  light  o'er  the  deep, 

Too  kind,  she  wafts  a  ruffian  band  ; 
Her  blue  track  lengthens  to  the  bark, 

And  soon  on  deck  the  miscreants  stand. 

Around  they  throw  the  baleful  glance  ; 

Suspense  holds  mute  the  anxious  crew—- 
Who is  their  prey  ? — poor  sailor  boy  ! 

The  baleful  glance  is  fix'd  on  you. 

Nay,  why  that  useless  scrip  unfold  ? 

They  damn  the  u  lying  yankee  scrawl,'"1 
Torn  from  thine  hand,  it  strews  the  wave, — 

They  force  thee,  trembling,  to  the  yawl. 

Sick  was  thine  heart,  as  from  the  deck, 
The  hand  of  friendship  wav'd  farewell ; 

Mad  was  thy  brain,  as,  far  behind, 
In  the  grey  mist,  thy  vessel  fell. 

One  hope,  yet,  to  thy  bosom  clung, 

The  captain  mercy  might  impart; 
Vain  was  that  hope,  whkh  bade  thee  look, 

For  rnercy  in  a  Pirates  heart. 

What  woes  can  man  on  man  inflict, 

"\Vhen  malice  joins  with  unchecked  pow'r  ; 

Such  woe^  unpitied  and  unknown, 
For  many  a  month,  the  sailor  bore  ! 

Oft  genrd  his  eye  the  bursting  tear, 

As  meru'ry  lingered  on  past  joy  ; 
As  oft  they  flung  the  cruel  jeer, 

And  damn'd  the  "  chicken  liver* d  Aoy/' 


JOURNAL. 

When  sick  at  heart,  with  "  hope  deferred," 
Kind  sleep  his  wasting;  form  embraced, 

Some  ready  minion  ply'd  the  lash, 

And  the  lov'd  dream  of  freedom  chas-d. 

Fast  to  an  end  his  miseries  drew  ; 

The  deadly  hectic  flush1  d  his  cheek  ; 
On  his  pale  brow  the  cold  dew  hung, 

He  sigh'd,  and  sunk  upon  the  deck  ! 

The  sailor's  woes  drew  forth  no  sigh  ; 
No  hand  would  close  the  sailor's  eye  ; 
Remorseless,  his  pale  corse  they  gave, 
Unshrouded,  to  the  friendly  wave. 

And,  as  he  sunk  beneath  the  tide, 

A  hellish  shout  arose  ; 
Exultingly  the  demons  cried, 

u  So  fare  ail  tAlbiwi's  REBEL  foes  ."' 


The  power  of  music  and  of  song,  on  such  occasions,  ha* 
''••en  witnessed  in  all  ages  of  the  world,  especially  in  the 
\  outhful,  or  chivalric  period  of  a  nation's  existence,  which 
is  the  present  time,  in  the  history  of  the  UNITED  STATES. 
We  all  have  felt  and  witnessed  the  animating  effects  of  the 
simple  national  tune  of  Yankee  Doodle.  Our  New  England 
hoys  cannot  stand  still  when  it  is  played.  To  that  tune 
our  regiments  march  with  an  energy  that  no  other  music 
inspires.  At  its  sound,  the  sentinel  on  his  post  slaps  his 
musket,  and  marches  his  limits  with  a  smartness,  that  shows 
that  his  brave  heart  pulsates  to  the  warlike  drum.  Such  a 
people,  thus  animated  and  united,  is  absolutely  invincible, 
by  all  the  powers  of  Europe  combined. 

Time,  situation,  and  circumstances,  will  give  us  national 
songs.  Many  ages  passed  away,  before  England  was  ani- 
mated by  a  national  hymn.  The  Americans  have  paro- 
died tin's  hymn,  substituting,  "  GOD  save  great  IV ashing- 
ton  F  &c. 

Our  orator,  considering  where  he  was,  and  that  he  had 
an  hundred  British  hearers,  used  pretty  harsh  language.  He 
apostrophised  the  English  thus:  "  Haughty  nation !  with 
<k  one  hand  thou  art  deluding  and  dividing  thy  victims  in 
"  New  England,  and  with  the  other,  thou  bea.rest  the  \vea- 
"  pon  o/  vengeance  ;  and  while  employing  the  ruthful  sav- 
"  age,  with  his  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife,  thou  art 
"  boasting  of  thy  humanity,  thy  magnanimity,  and  thy  rt- 


123  JOURNAL.      * 

"  ligion  !  Bloody  villains  !  detestable  associates  !  linked 
"  together  by  fear,  and  leagued  with  savages  by  necessity, 
"  to  murder  a  Christian  yeople,  for  the  y Hedged  crime  of 
"  fighting  over  again  the  battle  of  independence.  Be- 
"  ware,  bloody  nations  of  Britons  and  savage  Indians,  of 
"  the  recoiling  vengeance  of  a  brave  people.  For  shame — 
"  talk  no  more  of  your  Christianity,  of  your  bible  and  mis- 
"  sionary  societies,  when  your  only  aim  is  to  direct  the 
"  scalping  knife,  and  give  force  to  the  arm  of  the  savage. 
<;  No  longer  express  the  smile  of  pleasure,  on  hearing  a  stu- 
"  pid  Governor  proclaim  you  to  be  '  The  Bulwark  of  our 
'*  Religion?  You  have  filled  India  with  blood  and  ashes; 
"  you  have  murdered  the  Irish  for  contending  for  liberty  of 
"  conscience ;  you  continue  the  scourge  of  war  in  Spain  ; 
"  you  pay  Russia,  Sweden,  Germany,  and  Holland,  the 
<J  price  of  blood  ;  and  to  crown  all,  decorate  your  colors, 
"  and  your  seats  of  legislation,  with  scalps,  torn  from  Ameri- 
"  cans,  male  and  female ;  and  you  are  sowing  discord,  ami 
"  diffusing  a  Jacobinical  spirit  through  a  protestant  country, 
"  which  you  cannot  conquer  by  force.  Jtaf^"  continued  the 
orator,  waving  his  sinewy  arm,  and  ha^Tand  heavy  hand, 
"  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  your  guilty  nation  will 
"be  duly  appreciated,  and  justly  punished;"  and  st»yi>i£ 
this,  he  drove  his  iron  fist  into  the  palm  of  his  left  hand, 
and  stamped  with  his  foot  on  the  capstan,  where  he  stood, 
while  his  admiring  countrymen  rewarded  the  herculean  or- 
ator with  three  cheers. 

There  is  no  disguising  it — these  Englishmen  not  only  re- 
spect us,  but  fear  us.  They  perceive  a  mighty  difference 
between  us,  and  the  cringing,  gambling  Frenchmen.  If 
they  are  tolerably  well  informed,  and  think  at  all,  they  must 
conclude  that  we  Yankees,  are  filled  with,  and  keep  up  that 
bold  and  daring  spirit  of  liberty,  which  made  England  what 
she  is  ;  and  the  loss  of  which  is  now  perceived  by  their  sur- 
rendered ships,  and  beaten  armies  in  America.  All  these 
things  will  hereafter  be  detailed  by  some  future  Gibbon,  in 
the  History  of  the  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  BRITISH  E-M- 
PIRE. 

We  closed  the  day,  on  this  memorable  Fourth  cf  July, 
pretty  much  as  we  began  it  ;  we  struck  our  flag  at  sun-s<  t. 
and  saluted  the  other  ships  with  three  hearty   cl»< 
^Throughout  the  whole,  the  prisoners,  even  to  the  boys,  be- 
haved with  becoming  decorum  ;  and  the  whole  was  COL-- 


JOURNAL.  127 

eluded  without  any  disagreeable  accident,  or  any  thing  like 
a  quarrel ;  and  in  saying  this,  we  desire  to  acknowledge  the 
extraordinary  good  behaviour  of 'all  the  British  officers  and 
men  on  board  the  Crown  Prince. 

Excepting  the  apprehensions  of  being  sent  off  to  Dart- 
jnoor  prison,  of  which  we  entertained  horrid  ideas,  we  were 
tolerably  happy.  After  the  measles  ceased,  we  were  ail 
very  healthy  ;  and  there  exists  a  good  understanding  be- 
tween the  prisoners  and  our  commander,  Osrflbre ;  which 
they  say,  is  owing  to  the  influence  of  his  amiable  wife.- — 
This  worthy  woman  has  discovered  that  we  are  not  a  gang 
of  vagabonds,  but  that  many  of  the  American  prisoners  are 
not  only  men  of  solid  understanding,  and  correct  principles, 
but  men  whose  minds  have  been  improved  by  good  educa- 
tion. The  manner  and  style  in  which  we  celebrated  our 
national  independence,  have  created  a  respect  for  us.  The 
officers  extend  a  better  course  of  treatment  towards  us; 
and  this  has  occasioned  our  treating  them  with  more  re- 
spect. Politeness  generates  politeness,  and  insult,  insult. — 
They  find  that  coaxing  and  fair  words  is  the  only  way  to 
manage  Americans. 

There  is  a  set  of  busy-idlers  amongst  us,  a  sort  of  news- 
mongers, fault-tinders,  and  predictors,  who  are  continually 
bothering*  us  with  unsubstantial  rumors.  The  newspapers 
we  take,  are  enough  to  confound  any  man  ;  but  these  crea- 
tures are  worse  than  the  London  news- writers*  Sometimes 
we  are  told  that  Baltimore  is  burnt ;  and  then  that  New 
York  is  taken  ;  and  we  have  been  positively  assured  that 
old  New  England  has  declared  for  the  British ;  and  that  the 
governor  of  Massachusetts  and  his  council  had  dined  on  board 
a  British  mini  of  war  in  Boston  harbor ;  and  that  PRESIDENT 
MADISON  had  been  hanged  in  effigy  in  Boston,  Newbury- 
}iort  and  Portsmouth.  At  other  times  we  were  told  posi- 
tively, and  circumstantially,  that  three  frigates  sent  their 
boats  into  Marblehead,  and  after  driving  out  all  the  women 
and  children,  set  fire  to  the  town,  and  reduced  the  whole 
to  ashes  *  and  this  was  for  some  time  credited.  We  have 
a  number  of  fine  Marblehead  men  here  in  captivity,  all 
staunch  friends  of  their  country's  cause.  I  well  remember 
since  that  period,  that  it  was  told  us,  that  peace  between 

*  An  Irish  word,  Twining  a  distraction  of  attention  by  reason  of 
weals  striking  our  intellect  through  both  ten-  confusedly, 


•128  JOURNAL. 

America  and  England  was  concluded;  and  that  one  of  its 
conditions  was  giting  vp  the  fisheries  on  the  banks  cf  'New- 
foundland. This  aiarrrf-d  the  Marblehead  men  more  than  the 
report  of  burning  their  town;  they  raved  and  swore  like 
raad  men.  "  If  that  be  the  case,"  said  they,  "  I  am  dam- 
"  tied — Marl)lehead  is  forever  damned^- and  we  are  all  dam- 
"  ned ;  and  damnation  seize  the  peace-makers,  who  have 
"  consented  to  this  condition."  On  this  subject  they  work- 
ed themselves  into  a  fever  ;  and  were  very  unhappy  all  the 
tune  the  story  was  believed.  Such  like  stories  were  tola 
to  us,  oft  times,  so  circumstantially,  that  we  all  believed 
them.  When  discovered  to  be  false,  they  were  called  gal- 
ley news.,  or  galley  packets.  These  mischievous  characters 
are  continually  sporting  with  our  feelings  ^  and  secretly 
laughing  at  the  uneasiness  they  occasion.  There  is  one 
man  who  has  got  the  name  of  lying  BOB  ;  who  is  remarka- 
ble for  the  fertility  of  his  invention ;  there  is  so  much  ap- 
parent correctness  in  all  he  advances,  that  we  too  often  be- 
ileve  his  sly  quizzing  rodomontades.  He  mentions  and  de- 
scribes the  man  who  informed  him,  states  little  particulars, 
and  relates  circumstances,  so  closely  connected  with  ac- 
knowledged facets,  that  the  most  cautious  and  incredulous 
are  often  taken  in  by  him.  He  is  a  constitutional  liar ;  and 
the  fellow  lias  such  a  plausible  mode  of  lying,  and  wears 
throughout  such  a  nx^d  and  solemn  phiz,  that  bis  news  has 
been  circulated  by  lis  all,  with  all  our  wise  reasons,  and  ex- 
planations, and  conjectures,  that  although  we  are  sometimes 
angry  enough  to  knock  his  brains  out,  we  cannot  help 
laughing  at  the  hoax.  To  the  name  of  lying  Bob,  we  have 
added  that  of"  Printer  to  Prince  BehcbuUs  Royal  Gazette." 
This  little  community  of  ours,  crowded  within  the  planks 
•  >f  a  siiiiile  ship,  is  but  the  prototype  of  the  great  communi- 
ties on  the  land.  Here  we  see  working,  all  those  passions, 
,  fears,  emulations,  envies,  and  even  contentions  for 
distinction,  which,  like  the  winds  and  tides  of  the  ocean, 
keep  the  human  mind  healthy,  vigorous,  and  progressing  to 
general  benefit  Amidst  it  all,  we  could  discover  "  the  ru- 
ling  pastio/i"  the  love  of  country,  and  a  firm  belief  that  our 
countrymen  understood  rational  liberty  better,  and  could 
defend  it  longer,  than  any  nation  now  in  existence. 

'  Many  people  are  beguiled  with  an  idea,  that  sailors  have 
no  serious  thoughts  of  religion  ;  because  they  use  swearing, 
i,  100  often,  a  proCane  phraseology,  without  any  meaning, 


Hnl  if  amen  generally  have  as  serious  ideas  of  religion,  cs 
landsmen:  and  are,  in  my  opinion,  full  as  good.  Hypocri- 
sy is  not  among  their  vices.  They  i.cver  pretend  to  more 
religion  than  their  conduct  proclaims.  You  see  and  hear 
the  worst  of  them  ;  and  that  cannot  always  be  .-said  of  our 
brethren  on  shore.  We  have  had  a  methodist  preacher  ex- 
horting us  twice  a  week,  until  lately  ;  but  he  has  discontin- 
ued his  visits  ;  for  he  found  the  hearts  of  some  of  our  fellows 
as  hard  as  their  faces,  and  he  relinquished  the  hope  of  their 
conversion  to  rnethodism.  There  was,  at  one  time,  on 
board  our  ship,  a  little,  ugly  French  surgeon's  mate,  who 
had  lived  several  years  in  London,  and  in  the  southern  part 
of  America,  lie  could  speak,  and  read  the  English  lan- 
guage equally  well  with  his  own.  lie  ridiculed  ail  reli- 
gion, and  talked  in  such  an  irreverent  style  of  the  bible,  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  that  our  sailors  would 
not  associate  with  him,  nor,  at  times,  eat  with  him.  On 
one  occasion,  his  profanity  was  so  shocking,  that  he  ran. 
some  risk  of  being  thrown  overboard.  He  was  a  witty, 
comical  fellow,  and  they  would  iisien  and  laugh  at  his 
drollery ;  but  they  finally  stopped  his  mouth  from  uttering 
things,  for  which  he  would  be  severely  punished  in  England 
and  iii  Aineiica;  and  skinned,  or  fried,  or  slowly  roasted, 
in  Spain. 

Generally  speaking,  in  the  religious  options  of  our  sailors, 
there  is  mixed  a  portion  of  that  superstition  which  we,  our 
forefathers,  and  foreinothers  brought  with  them  from  Eng- 
land, Scotland  and  Ireland.  They  believe,  for  example, 
in  spirits,  or  ghosts,  and  that  they  haunt  houses  and  ships  ; 
and  that  they  have  sometimes  appeared  with  horrid  visage, 
and  menacing  countenances,  at  the  bed-side  of  a  cruel  cup- 
tain  ;  and  above  all,  to  the  false  hearted  Tar,  who  crueily 
deserted  his  too  credulous  Poll,  who  -drowned  herself  in  des- 
pair. The  common  sailor  often  tells  such  stories,  and  sings 
them  in  ballads,  both  which  are  generally  ended  with  the 
good  moral  sentiment  of  the  punishment  of  cruelty  and 
treachery  5  and  the  reward  of  the  kind  hearted  and  humane, 

It  may  appear  singular  that  men  whose  conduct  generally 
is  so  opposite  to  the  prescribed  rules  of  the  Priest,  should 
have  so  firm  an  opinion  of  another  life,  after  their  bodies 
are  eaten  up  by  sharks,  or  blown  to  atoms ;  but  it  is  really 
the  case  with  the  British  and  American  sailors  ;  for  they 
&ave  the  strongest  belief  in  the  existence  of  spirits  ;  ami 
11* 


-r- 


JQUKSAL. 


and  traditions  tend  to  confirm' t?i is  siiixr  sti- 
ff often  have  1  known  them  huddled  together  i« 
tiling  stories  of  feats  of  danger  ami  desperation  ! 
is  generally  brought  into  the  history.  Noth- 
ing suits  (hcsjp  daring  set  of  men  better  than  a  solemn  narra- 
tive of  a  supernatural  achievement,  and  a  supernatural  es- 
cape ;  but  to  be  charming,  it  must  have  a  tinge  of  the  hor- 
rible. Shakespeare  would  have  recognized  some  of  these 
men  as  his  kindred,  and  they  him  as  a  relation.  Good  luck 
and  US  luck,  lucky  days  and  unlucky  days,  as  well  as  lurVv 
ships,  at  {ach  themselves  strongly  to  a*  sailor's  mi  mi.  £ 
remarkable  instance  of  this  we  have  in  our  ill-fated  frigate 
Chssapfoke.  Ever  since  the  British  ship,  Leopard,  fired  into 
this  American  frigate,  in  a  period  of  profound  peace,  and 
caused  her  to  strike  her  colors,  and  which  led  to  her  being 
hoarded  ;  and  her  men  to  be  mustered  by  compulsion,  arid 
some  of  her  crew  taken  and  carried  forcibly  on  board  the 
Leopard,  one  of  which  was  afterwards  hanged  ;  after  this 
deep  wound  on  our  country's  honor,  this  frigate  was  ever 
after  viewed  as  unlucky,  and  shunned  accordingly. 

In  confirmation  of  this  aautical  curse,  she  met  with  a  se- 
;  ies  of  disasters  during  the  war,  which  were  not  attributed 
to  ill  management,  but  to  iii  luck.  Thus,  one  time  she 
was  coming  up  the  harbor  of  Boston,  from  a  cruise,  where 
•*he  lost  spar  after ^par,  and  topmast  after  topmast;  and 
w  hen  in  full  sight  oF  the  town,  and  not  much  wind,  over 
hoard  went  her  fore-top-mast,  and  several  men  were  drown- 
ed in  their  fall  from  the  rigging.  This  was  not  attributed 
io  lack  of  judgment,  but  to  ill  luck.  When  this  ill-omened 
ship  lay  in  Boston  harbor,  previous  to  her  last  and  fatal 
-.iruise,  she  could  not  get  men  ;  and  that  from  the  impression 
on  the  minds  of  sailors,  that  she  was  an  unlucky  ship.  This 
operated  to  her  final  misfortune  ;  for  her  crew  was  made  up 
of  every  thing  that  offered.  Her  captain  was  a  stranger  to 
his  crew,  and  to  his  officers ;.  his  first  lieutenant  lay  at  the 
point  of  death  when  she  sailed ;  her  motley  crew  mutinied, 
;u;»t  of  their  pay,  before  they  weighed  anchor  ;  her 
1  like  to- have  said  rash  commander,  sailed  out  in 
a  great  hurry  ;  her  cables  were  not  quite  stoned  away,  nor 
other  things- arranged  io  their  places,  when  she  bore  down 
'•5n  the  cool  and  orderly  Shannon  ;  and  to  crown  all,  her  in- 
trepid commander,  a  man  six  feet  two  inches,  went  into  ac- 
liua  within  half  pistol  shot,  in  full  uniform,  as  if  he  defied 


JOURNAL. 

the  power  of  the  British  musketry.  I  have  conversed  with 
some  of  her  officers  and  men  in  my  captivity,  and  think  that 
I  am  warranted  in  saying,  that  there  was  nr.ieh  more  high- 
toned  bravery  exhibited  on  that  day,  than  good  conduct. — 
The  sailors,  however,  think  differently  ;  they  ail  attribute 
H  to  that  unavoidable  fatality  which  forever  adheres,  like 
pitch,  to  an  unlucky  ship.  O,  my  country  I 

"  It  was  that  fatal  and  perfidious  bark, 

u  Biiilt  in  0V  eclipse,  and  riggM  with  curses  dark, 

•'•  Thai  sunk  so  low  that  sacred  head  of  thine  P 

MILTOX'S  LYCID,%$, 


CHAPTER  II. 

August  30th. — Drafts  continue  to  be  made  from  this  ship 
fo  bi>  sent  off  to  Dartmoor  Prison.  There  are  but  few  of  us 
rem.iining,  and  we  are  every  day  in  expectation  of  removal. 
Ail  go  off  with  evident  reluctance,  from  an  apprehension 
that  the  change  will  be  for  the  worse.  It  is  the  "  untried 
scene,"  that  fills  us  with  anxiety.  We  are  more  disposed 
to  bear  our  present  ills,  "  than  lly  to  others  which  we  know 
not  of." 

Oh,  how  we  envy  the  meanest  looking  wretch  we  see, 
f  rawliug  on  the  shore, gathering  sticks  to  cook  his  fish.  There 
the  beggar  enjoys  the  natural  inheritance  of  man,  sweet  LIB- 
ERTY ;  if  the  unfeeling,  the  avaricious  and  morose,  refuse 
his  petition,  he  can  sweeten  the  disappointment  with  the 
reilt  ction,  that  he  has  liberty  to  walk  where  he  pleases.  He 
is  not  shut  up,  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  cut  off  from  ail  inter- 
course with  those  he  holds  most  dear  ;  he  is  not  lingering 
out  his  life  and  health  under  the  morose  countenance  of  an 
unfeeling  jailor.  He  hys  not,  like  us,  a  home,  where  peace, 
plenty,  and  every  good,  await  to  welcome  us.  Who  can 
express  the  anguish  felt  by  some  of  us,  wretched  prisoners, 
here  crowded  together,  like  sheep,  men  who  have  broken 
no  law  of  either  country  ;  but  wh»  have  stood  courageously 
forth  in  supporting  the  sacred  cause  of  our  country,  and  in 
defending  "free  trad?  and  sailors'  rigfcfc-."  Should  this 


f32  JOURNAL. 

\var  continue  some  years  longer,  or  should  peace  be  restored, 
and  another  war  with  Britain  commence,  I  will  venture  to 
predict  that  our  enemies  will  take  but  fere  prisoners  alive. 
My  own  mind  is  entirely  made  up  on  this  head.  I  hope  to 
stand  ready  to  risk  my  life  for  the  liberty  and  independence 
of  our  nation,  and  for  the  preservation  of  my  own  personal 
liberty  ;  but  unless  wounded  and  maimed,  I  never  will  be 
again  a  prisoner  to  the  British. 

The  American  sailor  has  a  beloved  home;  he  was  born 
and  brought  u;>  in  a  house  that  had  a  "  tire  place"  in  it. — 
Many  of  them  here,  in  captivity,  have  wives  and  children, 
most  of  them  have  parents,  and  brothers  and  sisters.  These 
poor  fellows  partake,  at  times,  the  misery  of  their  dear  rela- 
tives, at  three  thousand  miles  distance.  They  recollect 
their  aged  mothers,  and  decrepid  fathers,  worn  down  with 
age,  labor,  and  anxious  thoughts  for  the  welfare  of  their  ab- 
sent sons.  Some  have  wives,  and  little  children,  weeping 
for  their  absent  husbands,  and  suifering  for  the  good  and 
comfortable  things  of  this  life,  having  none  to  help  them. 
In  families,  neighborhoods,  and  villages,  men  are  supported 
by  leaning  on  each  other  ;  or  by  supporting  each  other  ; 
and  we  have  here  endeavored  to  do  so  too  ;  but  now  our 
numbers  are  thinning,  some  of  our  best,  our  steadiest,  and 
most  prudent  men,  have  left  us.  and  gone  to  Dartmoor  Pris- 
on. 1  have  felt  very  low  spirited  for  some  days  past.  It  is 
true,  our  numbers  are  now  so  few,  that  \ve  can  run  about, 
and  beguile  the  tedious  hours  by  a  greater  variety  of  exer- 
cise and  amusement  than  heretofore  ;  but  then,  our  soberest 
men  are  gone,  and  left  behind  some  of  the  most  noisy  and 
disorderly  of  our  whole  crew  ;  and  young  as  1  am,  I  am 
little  disposed  to  make  a  riot  or  noise,  merely  for  noise  sake. 

A  disturbance  took  place  last  night,  which  deprived  all 
of  us  of  s'eep.  It  was  owing  to  the  unaccommodating  dis- 
position of  our  commander,  Mr.  Osmore.  About  thirty 
prisoners  were  selected,  and  called  aft,  with  their  hammocks 
all  tied  up,  to  be  ready  to  go  off  early  in  the  morning  in  a 
tender.  The  tender  did  riot  arrive  as  was  expected  ;  the 
sergeant  was  ordered  to  count  us  over  in  the  evening  to  go 
to  rest  ;  whereupon  the  thirty  drafted  men  went  aft,  and 
requested  their  hammocks  to  sleep  in  ;  Mr.  Osmore  replied, 
that,  as  they  were  to  go  otf  early  in  the  morning,  they  would 
oajy  detain  the  tender,  if  they  had  their  hammocks  to  take 
«kwfl  and  puck  up  again,  on  which  account  he  refused  to 


JOURNAL.  loJ 

let  them  have  their  usual  accommodations  for  sleeping. — 
The  men  went  below,  very  much  dissatisfied  at  the  churl- 
ish disposition  of  the  commander;  and  as  they  despaired 
being  able  to  sleep  themselves,  on  bare  boards,  they  all  de- 
termined that  Osmore  should  not  himself  sleep.  They  waited 
quietly  till  about  ten  o'clock,  when  the  commander  usually 
Avent  to  bed  ;  and  then  they  tore  up  the  large  oak  benches, 
tied  ropes  to  them,  and  run  with  them  round  the  deck, 
drawing  the  benches  after  them  like  a  sled,  at  the  same 
time  hollowing,  screaming  and  yelling,  and  making  every 
noise  that  their  ingenuity  or  malice  could  devise.  Some- 
times they  drove  these  oaken  benches  full  butt  against  the 
aft  bulk  head,  so  as  to  make  the  ship  tremble  again  with 
the  noise,  like  cannon.  They  jarred  down  the  crockery 
belonging  to  the  marines,  which  was  .set  up  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  cock-pit,  ami  frightened  their  wives  out  of  their 
beds.  The  noise  and  jarring  vrere  so  great,  that  it  seemed 
as  if  they  were  breaking  up  the  ship,  lor  the  sake  of  her 
iron  work.  Lieut.  Osmore  sent  a  marine  down,  to  order 
them  to  be  still  and  go  to  sleep.  They  replied,  that  they 
had  no  conveniences  for  sleeping,  and  that  Osmore  had 
acted  like  a  villain,  in  depriving  them  unnecessarily  of 
their  hammocks,  for  which  brutality,  they  were  determined 
that  he  should  not  sleep  more  than  they.  After  which  they 
recommenced  their  riot  and  thundering  noise,  which  brought 
Osmore  out  of  his  cabin,  who  called  one  of  the  committee 
to  him,  and  told  him  to  tell  the  men,  that  if  they  did  not 
directly  cease  their  noise,  he  would  confine  every  man  of 
them  below,  for  three  days.  The  committee  man  replied, 
that  nothing  could  then  be  done,  for  thdt  the  mob  had  fairly 
capsized  the  government  of  the  ship  ;  and  all  that  he  could 
say,  would  only  add  to  the  riot  and  confusion.  "  Then," 
said  he,  ;<  I'll  be  d — d  if  I  do  not  fire  upon  them."  Some 
of  the  mob  answered,  "  fire,  and  be  d — d."  And  the  com- 
mander hesitated  a  moment,  and  returned  to  his  cabin  ;  for 
he  saw  the  men  were  wrought  up  to  the  battle  pitch,  and 
rather  wished  him  to  fire,  by  way  of  excuse  for  their  attack 
upon  him,  whom  they  most  cordially  despised. 

Directly  upon  this,  they  collected  all  the  tin  and  copper 
pans,  pots  and  kettles,  and  every  sonorous  metallic  sub- 
stance they  could  lay  their  hands  on.  These  they  tied  to- 
gether, and  hitched  bunches  of  them  here  and  there,  upon 
th  4  Kikon  planks;  and  then,  what  with  screaming,  yelling, 


134  JOURNAL. 

like  the  Indian  war-whoop,  cheering,  and  the  thundering 
noise  of  the  planks,  grating  along  the  deck,  together  with 
the  ringing  and  clattering  of  their  metallic  vessels,  they 
made  altogether  such  a  hideous  "  rattle-come-twang,"  that 
it  WHS  enough  to  raise  all  Chatham.  All  this  was  transact- 
ed in  utter  darkness.  The  officers  doubtless  saw,  that 
bloodshed  and  promiscuous  death  would  be  the  consequence 
of  tiring  among  the  rioters,  and  prudently  left  it  to  so1  side 
•with  the  darkness  of  the  night.  These  disorderly  fellows 
would  go  round  the  decks  twice,  with  all  this  thundering 
noise  and  clatter,  and  then  be  silent  for  about  half  an  hour, 
or  until  they  thought  Mr.  Osmore  had  got  into  a  doze ;  and 
then  they  would  recommence  their  horrible  serenade.  At 
length  Osmore  became  so  enraged,  that  he  swore  by  his 
Maker,  that  he  would  order  every  marine  in  the  ship  to 
tire  in  among  thenif  but  on  some  of  the  committee  observ- 
ing to  him  that  he  would  be  as  likely  to  kill  the  innocent 
as  the  guilty,  and  as  they  were  then  silent,  he  went  off 
again  to  his  cabin ;  but  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they 
begain  their  shocking  serenade,  and  continued  it,  at  pro- 
voking intervals,  all  the  night,  so  that  none  could  sleep  in 
the  ship. 

In  the  morning  the  tender  came  along  side,  and  they  all 
went  on  board  of  her.  When  they  had  all  got  in,  and  push- 
ed off  from  the  ship's  side,  and  while  Osmore  was  superin- 
tending their  departure,  they  all  cried  out,  baa  !  baa !  baa ! 
until  they  got  out  of  hearing.  The  next  day  he  betrayed  a 
disposition  to  punish,  in  some  way,  those  prisoners  that  re- 
mained ;  but  it  was  remarked  to  him,  that  it  was  utterly  im- 
possible for  any  of  them  to  stop  the  riot,  or  to  keep  their 
disturbers  quiet,  and  that  they,  themselves,  were  equally 
incommoded  with  him  and  his  family,  he  therefore  prudent- 
ly dropped  the  design.  Although  many  of  us  disapproved 
of  this  behavior  of  the  men,  none  of  us  could  help  laughing 
ztt  the  noise,  and  its  ludicrous  effects.  It  is  a  fact,  that  the 
officers  and  marines  of  the  Crown  Prince  prison  ship,  were 
more  afraid  of  the  American  prisoners,  than  they  were  of 
them.  This  last  frolic  absolutely  cowed  them.  One  of 
the  officers  said  to  me,  next  day,  "  Your  countrymen  do  not 
11  seem  to  be  a  bloody  minded  set  of  men,  like  the  Portu- 
''•  guese  and  Spaniards  ;  but  they  have  the  inosst  ti — d  pro- 
'•  Yoking  impudence  I  ever  saw,  in  any  men  ;  if  the}  di 
'•  accompany  it  all  with  peals  of  laughter,  and  in  the  spirit 


JOURNAL.  ''-n 

*•  of  fun,  I  should  put  (hem  down  as  a  set  of  hell-hounds." 
^  told  him  that  I  considered  the  last  night's  riot,  not  in  the 
IMit  of  a  mutiny,  or  a  serious  attempt  to  wound  or  scratch 
any  man,  but  as  a  high  frolic,  without  any  real  malice,  and 
was  an  evidence  of  that  boisterous  liberty  in  which  they 
had  been  bred  up,  and  arising  also  from  their  high  notions  of 
right  and  wrong.  To  which  the  worthy  Scotchman  re- 
plied, "  I  hate  a  Frenchman,  a  Spaniard,  and  a  Portuguese ; 
"  but  I  never  can  hate  an  American ;  and  yet  the  three 
*'  former  behave  infinitely  better;  and  give  us  far  less  trouble 
"  than  your  saucy  fellows."  Had  British  prisoners  behav  ed 
in  this  manner,  in  the  prison  ships  in  the  harbor  of  Boston, 
or  Salem,  would  our  officers  have  borne  it  with  more  pa* 
tience  ? 

As  there  were  but  few  prisoners  now  remaining,  and  am- 
ple room  to  run  and  jump  about  for  exercise,  our  men  evi- 
dently recruited  ;  and  being  in  good  spirits,  the  rose  of 
health  soon  bloomed  again  on  their  manly  cheeks.  The 
soldiers,  made  prisoners  in  Canada,  evidently  gained  strength, 
and  acquired  activity.  If  we  compare  their  miserable,  ema- 
ciated looks,  on  their  ;•  rival  at  Melville  Prison,  from  their 
wretched  voyage  down  the  St.  Lawrence,  with  their  present 
appearance,  the  difference  is  striking.  The  wretched  ap- 
pearance of  these  new  made  soldiers,  reflects  no  credit  on 
the  British,  The  savages  of  the  forest  never  starve  their 
prisoners.  The  war  department  of  the  United  States  hav- 
ing ordered  these  men  a  portion  of  their  pay,  they  appropri- 
ated it  chiefly  to  purchase  comfortable  clothing,  which  has 
been  productive  of  great  good,  and  has  probably  saved  the 
lives  of  some  of  them  ;  others  squandered  away  their  money 
in  dissipation  and  gambling. 

A  becoming  degree  of  tranquillity  prevailed  on  board  this 
prison  ship,  during  my  residence  in  it.  On  the  15th  of  Sep- 
tember, we  were  all  sent  on  board  the  Bahama  prison  ship, 
which  lay  farther  up  the  reach.  Here  we  found  about  three 
hundred  of  our  countrymen,  who  received  us  with  kindness, 
and  many  marks  of  satisfaction.  I  could,  at  once,  perceive 
thai  theirgituation  had  been  less  pleasant  than  ours,  in  the 
Crown  Prince.  Little  attention  had  been  paid  to  cleanli- 
ness, and  gambling  had  been  carried  to  as  great  excess  as 
their  means  would  admit  of.  They  seemed  to  lack  either 
the  power,  or  the  ri  solution  of  adhering  to  and  carrying 
iri^o  eiitct,  good  and  \\holcsijme  regulations.  I  never  saw  a 


JOURNAL. 


set  of  more  ragged,  dirty  men  in  my  life  ;  and  yet  they  were 
disposed  to  sell  their  last  rag  to  get  money  to  game  with  — 
I  heir  misfortune  was,  they  had  too  few  men  of  sense  and  re- 
spectability  among  them.  They  had  no  good  committee 
men  ;  not  enough  to  bear  down  the  current  of  vice  and  fol- 
ly. We  dread  the  contagion  of  bad  example.  Some  of  our 
men  soon  resorted  to  their  detestable  gambling  tables  ;  and 
pursued  their  old  vices  with  astonishing  avidity.  We  seri- 
ously expostulated  with  our  companions,  on  their  returnin*- 
to  the  pernicious  practice  of  gambling,  after  they  had  had 
the  virtue  of  refraining  on  board  the  Grown  Prince  ;  and 
our  advice  induced  nearly  all  of  them  to  renounce  the  de- 
structive practice.  I  had  read,  but  never  saw  convincing 
evidence  before,  of  gaming  being  a  passion,  that  rages  in 
proportion  to  the  degrees  of  misery,  until  it  becomes  a  s^e- 
cies  of  insanity. 

We,  new  comers,  introduced  certain  measures  that  had  a 
tendency  to  harmonize  our  sailors  and  soldiers.     The   dis- 
orders on  board  tbe  Bahama  arise,  principally,  from  ha  vino- 
on  board  a  number  of  these  two  classes  of  men.     Our  sailors 
view  a  soldier  as  belonging  to  an  order  of  men  below  them  ; 
and  it  must  be  confessed  that  our  first  crop  of  recruits,  (hat 
were  huddled  together  soon  after  the  declaration  of  war,  in 
some  measure  justified  this  notion.     They  were,  many  of 
them,  idle,  intemperate  men,  void  of  character  and  good 
constitutions.     The  high  flying  federal  clcrpy,  among  other 
nonsense,   told  their  flocks  that  the  war  wbuld  demoralize 
the  people  ;  whereas  it  had  the  contrary  effect,  as  it  regard- 
ed the  towns  an  hundred  miies  from  the  sea  coast.     It  ab- 
solutely picked  all  the  rags,  dirt,  and  vice,  from  our  towns 
and  villages,  and  transported  them  into  Canada,  where  they 
were  either  captured,  killed,  or  died  with  sickness,  so  that  our 
towns  and  villages  on  the  Atlantic,  were  cleared  of  idlers 
and  drunkards,  and  experienced  the  benefit  of  their  removal. 
The  second  crop  of  recruits,  in  1  81  4,  were  of  a  different  cttst. 
The  high  bounty,  and  the  love  of  country,  induced  the  em- 
bargoed sailor  to  turn  soldier  ;  to  these  were  added  youfrg 
mechanics,  and  the  sons  of  farmers.     These  were  men  of 
uood  habits,  and  of  calculation.     They  looked  forward  to 
their  bounty  of  land,  with  a  determination  of  settling  on  their 
farms  at  the  close  of  the  war.     These  were  moral  men,  and 
they  raised  the  character  of  the  sokik-r,  :n,:\  of  their  country. 
These  were  the  men  who  conquered  at  Chippewa,  Bridge 

:  I 


JUVENAL, 


'v 


r,  Erie,  and  Plattsburg.  Of  such  men  was  composed 
that  poteiit  army  of  well  disciplined  militia,  who  reposed 
within  twenty  miles  of  the  sea  shores  of  New-England, dur- 
ing 1814  and  1815 — especially  of  Massachusetts  and  Con- 
necticut; and  who,  had  the  British  attempted  a  landing, 
would  have  met  them,  with  the  bayonet,  at  the  waters 
edge,  and  crimsoned  its  tide. 

Our  captivated  sailors  knew  nothing  of  this  fine  army ; 
they  only  knew  the  first  recruits ;  and  it  is  no  wonder  they 
viewed  them  as  their  inferiors,  as  they  really  were.  Even 
the  officers  were,  generally  speaking,  much  inferior  to  those 
who  closed  the  war.  The  American  sailor  appears  to  be  a 
careless,  unthinking,  swearing  fellow ;  but  he  is  generally 
much  better  than  he  appears.  He  is  generally  marked  with 
honor,  generosity,  ami  honesty.  A  ship's  crew  soon  assim- 
ilates, and  they  are  all  brother  tars,  embarked  together  in 
the  same  bottom,  and  in  the  same  pursuit  of*,  interest,  curi- 
osity or  fame;  while  the  rigid  discipline  of  an  arrny  does 
not  admit  of  this  association  ami  assimilation.  A  sailor, 
therefore,  greets  a  sailor,  as  his  brother;  but  has  not  yet 
learned  to  greet  a  soldier  as  his  brother ;  nor  has  the  Ameri- 
can soldier  ever  felt  the  fraternal  attachment  to  the  sailor. 
It  should  be  the  policy  of  our  rulers,  and  military  command- 
ers, to  assimilate  the  American  soldier  and  sailor;  and  there 
is  little  doubt  but  that  they  will  amalgamate  in  time.  In 
France,  the  soldier  looks  down  upon  the  sailor ;  in  England, 
and  in  America,  the  sailor  looks  down  on  the  soldier.  We 
must  learn  them  to  march  arm  in  arm. 

Confinement,  dirtiness,  and  deprivations,  have  an  evil  op- 
eration on  the  mind,  I  have  observed  some  who  had  a  little 
refinement  of  manners,  at  the  commencement  of  their  cap- 
tivity, and  regarded  the  situation  and  feelings  of  others  near 
them,  with  complacency,  but  have  lost  it  all,  and  sunk  into 
a  state  of  misanthropy.  We,  Americans,  exercise  too  little 
ceremony  at  best,  but  some  of  our  prisoners  lost  all  deference 
and  respect  for  their  countrymen,  and  became  mere  hogs,  the 
stronger  pushing  the  weaker  aside,  to  get  the  most  swill. 

"  Jove  fixM  it  certain,  that  the  very  day 

"  Made  man  a  slave,  took  half  his  worth  away." Homer, 

All  our  industrious  men  were  well  behaved  ;  and  all  our 
idle  men  were  hoggish.     Some  of  our  countrymen  worked 
12 


:  .}»  JOURNAL. 

very  neatly  in  bone,  out  of  which  material  they  built  ships,* 
and  carved  images,  and  snuff  boxes,  and  tobacco  boxes,  and 
•watch  cases.  Some  covered  boxes,  in  a  very  neat  manner, 
\vith  straw.  The  men  thus  employed,  formed  a  strong  con- 
trast to  those  who  did  nothing;  or  who  followed  up  gamb- 
ling. Our  ship  afforded  striking  instances  of  the  pernicious 
effects  of  idleness;  and  of  the  beneficial  effects  of  industry, 
We,  on  board  the  Crown  Prince,  instructed  the  boys ;  but 
in  this  ship,  there  has  been  no  attention  paid  to  them ;  and 
they  are,  upon  the  whole,  as  vicious  in  their  conduct,  and  as 
profane  in  their  language,  as  any  boys  I  ever  saw.  French- 
men are  bad  companions  for  American  boys.  They  can 
teach  them  more  than  they  ever  thought  of  in  their  own 
eountry. 

In  January  last,  three  hundred  and  sixty  American  pri- 
soners were  sent  on  board  this  ship.  Great  mortality  pre- 
vailed among  the  Danish  prisoners,  prior  to  the  arrival  of 
our  countrymen,  on  board  the  Bahama.  The  Danes  occu- 
pied her  'main  deck,  while  we  occupied  the  lower  one. — 
When  our  poor  fellows  were  tumbled  from  out  of  one  ship 
into  this,  they  had  not  sufficient  clothes  to  cover  their  shiv- 
ering limbs,  in  this  coldest  month  of  the  year.  They  were, 
indeed,  objects  of  compassion,  emaciated,  pale,  shuddering, 
low  spirited,  and  their  constitutions  sadly  broken  down. — 
Their  morbid  systems  were  not  strong  enough  to  resist  any 
impression,  especially  the  contagion  of  the  jail  fever,  under 
which  the  Danes  were  dying  by  dozens.  Out  of  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  one  Americans,  who  came  last  on  board, 
eighty-four  were,  in  the  course  of  three  months,  buried  in 
the  surrounding  marshes,  the  burying"  place  of  the  prison 
ships.  I  may  possibly  forgive,  but  I  never  can  forget  the 
unfeeling  conduct  of  the  British,  on  this  occasion.  Why 
send  men  on  board  a  crowded  prison  ship,  which  they  knew 
ivas  infected  with  a  mortal  contagion  ?  Their  government 
must  have  jinown  the  inevitable  consequences  of  putting 
three  hundred  debilitated  men  on  board  an  infected  ship, 
where  there  were  not  enough  well  to  attend  on  the  sick, — 
If  we,  Americans,  ever  treated  British  prisoners  in  our 
hands,  in  this  cruel  manner,  the  facts  have  never  reached 
my  ears.  Here  was  an  opportunity  for  redeeming  the  blast- 
ed reputation  of  the  British,  for  the  horrors  of  their  old  Jer 

*  Some  of  these  were  so  exquisitely  wrought,  as  not  to  disgrace  thr 
first  cabinets  in  the  world. 


JOURNAL* 


V 


sey  prison  ship,  in  the  revolutionary  war.  But  they  suppos- 
ed that  our  affairs  were  so  low;  and  their  own  so  glorious, 
that  there  was  no  room  for  retaliation.  The  surrounding 
marshes  were  already  unhealty,  without  adding  the  poison 
of  human  bodies,  which  were  every  hour  put  into  them. — 
Several  persons,  now  prisoners  here,  and  I  rank  myself 
among  that  number,  had  a  high  idea  of  British  humanity, 
prior  to  our  captivity ;  but  we  have  been  compelled  to  change 
our  opinions  of  the  character  of  the  people  from  whom  we 
descended.  The  commander  of  the  Bahama,  Mr.  W.  is  a 
passionate  and  very  hot  tempered  man,  but  is,  upon  the 
whole,  an  humane  one.  We  have  more  to  praise  than  to 
blame  in  his.  conduct  towards  us.  He  is  not  ill  disposed  to 
the  Americans,  generally,  and  wishes  for  a  lasting  peace  be- 
tween the  two  contending  nations.  His  mate  is  the  reverse 
of  all  this,  especially  when  he  is  overcharged  with  liquor. 

As  characteristic  of  some  of  our  imprudent  countrymen, 
I  insert  the  following  anecdote.  The  BeRccean,  (or  Bd~ 
lauxcean}  prison  ship,  lay  next  to  us.  She  was  filled  with 
Norwegians,  and  were  detained  in  England,  while  Norway 
adhered  to  a  king  of  their  own  choice.  The  commander  of 
her  was  a  nelllesome,  fractious,  foolish  old  fellow,  who  was 
•  continually  overlooking  us,  and  hailing  our  commander,  to 
inform  him  if  any  one  smuggled  a  bottle  of  rum  from  the 
market  boats.  His  Norwegians  gave  him  no  (rouble ;  they 
were  a  peaceable,  subservient  people,  with  no  fun  in  their 
constitutions,  nor  any  jovial  cast  in  their  composition. — 
They  were  very  different  from  the  British  or  American  sail- 
or, who  will  never  be  baulked  of  his  fun,  if  the  devil  stands 
at  the  door.  This  imprudent,  meddling  old  commander,  of 
the  Bdlauxcean,  was  forever  informing  the  officer  of  the  deck 
of  every  little  pickadillo  of  the  American  prisoners ;  and 
he,  of  course,  got  the  hearty  ill  will  of  all  the  Americans  in 
the  ship  Bahama.  He  once  saw  a  marine  connive  at  the 
passing  a  couple  of  bottles  of  liquor  through  the  lower  ports, 
and  he  hailed  the  commander,  and  informed  him  of  it ;  and 
the  marine  was  immediately  punished  for  it.  This  roused 
the  Americans  to  revenge ;  for  the  British  soldier,  or  marine, 
is  so  much  of  a  slave,  that  revenge  never  dare  enter  his 
head.  Retaliation  belongs  alone  to  the  free  and  daring 
American.  He  alone  enjoys  the  lex  talionis,  and  glories  in 
varrying  it  into  execution. 

Fish  uail  potatoes  constituted  the  diet  of  tfce  following  day. 


JOURNAL. 

What  does  our  "  dare  devils"  do,  but  reserve  all  (heir  pota- 
toes to  serve  as  cold  shot  to  fire  at  the  fractious  commander 
of  their  next  neighbor,  the  Bellauxcean.  Accordingly  when 
they  observed  the  old  man  stubbing  backwards  and  forwards 
his  quarter  deck,  and  stopping  now  and  then  to  peak  over  to 
our  ship  to  see  if  wre  smuggled  a  bottle  of  liquor,  they  gave 
him  a  volley  of  potatoes,  which  was  kept  up  until  the  vete- 
ran commander  hailed  our  captain  and  told  him  that  if  the 
Americans  did  not  cease  their  insult  he  would  order  his  ma- 
rines to  fire  upon  them;  but  his  threatenings  produced  na 
other  effect  than  that  of  encreasing  the  shower  of  potatoes ; 
so  that  this  brave  British  tar  \vas  compelled  to  seek  shelter 
in  his  cabin  ;  and  then  the  potatoe-battery  ceased  its  fire. 
When  all  was  quiet,  the  old  gentleman  seized  the  opportu- 
nity of  pushing  on  board  of  us.  When  he  came  on  oar 
quarter  deck,  rage  -stopped  all  power  of  utterance,  he  foam- 
ed and  stamped  like  a  mad  man.  At  length,  he  asked  Mr. 
Wilson  how  he  could  permit  a  body  of  prisoners  undtr  his 
command  and  control,  to  insult  one  of  his  majesty's  officers 
in  his  own  ship  ?  To  which  Air.  Wilson  replied,  that  he 
should  use  his  influence  to  prevent  a  repetition  of  the  insult,, 
and  restore  harmony ;  and  that  he  was  sorry  that  his  men 
should  get  into  any  difficulty  with  those  of  another  ship ; 
and  lie  recommended  moderation,  but  the  old  commander 
swore  snd  raved  terribly ;  when  our  worthy  protector  re- 
minded him  that  he  was  not  on  his  own  quarter  deck.  The 
coolness  of  Mr.  Wilson  still  further  enraged  our  exasperat- 
ed neighbor,  and  he  left,  the  ship  execrating  every  one  on 
board,  and  swearing  that  lie  would  make  complaint  to  the 
commodore. 

When  the  prisoners  saw  how  their  own  commander  view 
rd  the  interference  of  another,  they  collected  all  the  pota- 
toes they  could  find,  and  I  am  sorry  to  add,  pieces  of  coal, 
and  as  soon  as  he  left  the  side  of  the  Bahama,  they  pelted 
j)im  till  he  fairly  skulked  under  cover  in  his  own  prison 
ship.  He  directly  drew  his  marines  up  in  battle  array,  on 
his  quarter  deck,  when  the  captain  of  the  Bahama  seeing 
his  folly,  and  knowing  his  disposition,  exerted  himself  to 
miike  every  American  go  below,  and  enjoined  upon  them  a 
cessation  of  potatoes.  We  gained,  however,  more  by  thi.« 
short  war,  than  most  of  the  nations  of  the  world,  for  it  en- 
tirely removed  the  cause  for  which  we  took  up  potatoes 
against  one  of  his  Britauick  majesty's  officers?,  within  ten 


JOURNAL. 

leagues  of  the  capital  of  his  empire.  I  overheard  captain 
Wilson  say  to  the  second  in  command,  "  these  Americans 
*'  are  the  sauciest  dogs  I  ever  saw;  but  damn  me  if  1  can 
"  help  liking  them,  nor  can  I  ever  hate  men  who  are  so 
"  much  like  ourselves — they  are  John  Bull  all  over." 

In  a  course  of  kind  and  flattering  treatment,  our  country- 
men were  orderly  and  easily  governed;  but  when  they 
conceived  themselves  ill  treated  you  might  as  well  attempt 
to  govern  so  many  East  India  tygers.  The  British  officers 
in  this  river  discovered  this,  and  dreaded  their  combined 
anger ;  and  yet  the  Americans  are  seldom  or  ever  known, 
to  carry  their  vengeance  to  blood  and  murder,  like  the  Span- 
iard, Italian  and  Portuguese. 

A  Swedish  frigate  has  just  arrived  in  the  reach,  to  take 
away  those  good  boys,  the  Norwegians.  King  Bcrnadotte 
sent  them  two  and  six  pence  a  piece,  to  secure  their  affec- 
tions, and  provide  them  with  some  needed  articles  for  their 
passage  to  Norway.  A  cartel  is  hourly  expected  from  Lon- 
don, to  take  home  some  of  their  soldiers.  The  Leyden,  an 
old  Dutch  04,  is  preparing,  at  the  Nore,  to  take  us  away. 

We  are  induced  to  believe  that  our  emancipation  is  nigh. 
We  are  every  day  expecting,  that  we,  too,  shall  be  sent 
home ;  but  this  hope,  instead  of  inspiring  us  with  joy  and 
gladness,  has  generated  sourness  and  discontent.  It  seems 
that  the  government  of  the  United  States  give  a  preference 
to  those  who  had  enlisted  in  the  public  service  over  such  as 
were  in  privateers.  We.  have  felt  this  difference  all  along. 
Again,  the  government  are  disposed  to  liberate  the  soldiers 
"before  the  sailors,  because  their  sufferings  are  greater  than 
those  of  sailors,  from  their  former  mode  of  life  and  occupa- 
tions. They  were  farmers,  or  mechanics,  or  any  thing  but 
seamen ;  and  this  makes  their  residence  on  ship-board  very 
irksome  ;  whereas,  the  sailor  is  at  home  on  the  deck  or  hold 
of  the  ship.  Most  of  these  soldiers  were  from  the  atate  of 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York,  and  many  from  the  western 
parts  of  the  union.  These  men  could  not  bear  confinement 
like  sailors;  neither  could  they  bear  a  short  allowance  of 
food ;  nor  could  they  shirk*  for  themselves  like  a  Jack  tar. 
A  sailor  could  endure  with  a  degree  of  patience,  restraints 

*Shirk — Shift,  turn,  twist,  accommodate,  and  make  the  best  of  a 
disagreeable  situation.  It  also  means  contrivance,  cunning  and 


•42  j Of  RIVAL. 

and  deprivations  that  were  death  to  landsmen.  Man;  GJ. 
these  youthful  soldiers  had  notion*-  left  their  native  habitu 
tions,  and  parental  care,  when  they  were  captured;  thei? 
morals  and  manners  were  purer  than  those  of  sailors.  Such 
young  men  suffered  not  only  in  their  health,  but  in  their 
feelings ;  and  many  sunk  under  their  accumulated  miseries ; 
tor  nourished  by  indulgence,  in  the  midst  of  abundance,  many 
of  them  died  for  want  of  sufficient  food.  These  miserable 
beings  were,  as  they  ought  to  be,  the  first  objects  of  the  so- 
licitude of  government. 

The  prisoners  were  seen  here  and  there,  collected  in 
squads,  chewing  together  the  cud  of  discontent,  and  grumb- 
ling at  the  imagined  partiality  and  injustice  of  their  rulers. 
These  discontents  and  bickerings  too  often  damped  the  joy 
of  their  prospect  of  liberation  from  captivity.  The  poor 
privateers'  men  had  most  reason  for  complainiag,  as  they 
found  themselves  neglected  by  one  side,  and  despised  by  the 
other. 

The  sufferings  of  soldiers,  many  of  whom  were  militia, 
who  were  taken  on  the  frontiers  of  Canada,  are  not  to  be 
withheld  from  the  public.  They  were  first  stripped  by  the 
savages  in  the  British  service,  and  then  driven  before  them, 
half  naked  to  the  city  of  Quebec  ;  from  thence  they  were 
sent,  in  ill-provided  transports,  to  Halifax,  suffering  all  the 
•way,  the  torments  of  hunger  and  thirst.  When  they  arriv- 
ed at  Melville  prison,  they  were  shocking  objects  to  the 
prisoners  they  found  there  ;  emaciated,  weak,  dirty,  sickly, 
and  but  half  clothed,  they  excited  in  us  all,  eommisseration 
for  thqir  great  misery ;  and  indignation,  contempt  and  re- 
venge, towards  the  nation  who  could  allow  such  barbarity. 
The  cruel  deception  practised  on  their  embarkation  for  Eng- 
land, instead  of  going  home;  their  various  miseries  on  ship- 
board, where  as  landsmen,  they  underwent  infinitely  more 
than  the  sailors ;  for  many  of  them  never  had  seen  the  salt 
ocean ;  and  their  close  confinement  in  the  hold  of  a  ship, 
gave  them  the  klea  of  a  floating  hell.  The  captivity  of  the 
sailors  was  sufficiently  distressing ;  but  it  was  nothing  to 
that  of  the  wretched  landsmen,  who  considered  a  ship  at  all 
rimes,  a  kind  of  dungeon.  The  transporting  our  soldiers  to 
England,  and  their  sufferings  during  their  passage,  and  while 
confined  in  that  country,  has  engendered  a  hatred  against 
die  British  nation,  that  ages  will  not  obliterate,  and  time 
scarcely  diminish.  We,  Americans,  can  never  be  justly  ?.s- 
nused  of  want  of  humanity  to  the  English  prisoner 


JOl  RNAfc. 

If  the  young  American  wishes  to  see  instances  of  British 
barbarity,  let  him  peruse  the  journal  of  the  campaigns  under 
Armherst,  Wolfe,  Abercrombie  and  others  ;  there  he  will 
tind  that  the  British  soldiers  under  these  commanders,  com- 
mitted barbarities  in  the  French  villages,  for  which  they  de- 
served to  be  hanged.  They  even  boasted  of  scalping  the 
French.  Everybody  of  ordinary  information  in  New  Eng- 
land, knows  that  Lmiisbourg  could  not  have  been  taken, 
without  the  powerful  aid  of  the  New  England  troops;  yet 
in  the  historical  journal  by  Knox,  sanctioned  by  general  Arm- 
herst,  there  is  only  the  following  gentlemanlike  netice  of  our 
countrymen.  The  author,  captain  Knox,  says  that,  the 
transport  he  was  in,  was  in  miss-stays,  and  was  in  danger  of 
being  dashed  to  pieces  on  a  ledge  of  rocks,  when  the  master 
instantly  fell  on  his  knees,  crying  out — "  what  shall  we  do  '*. 
"  I  vow,  I  fear  we  shall  all  be  lost ;  let  us  go  to  prayers  ; 
"  what  can  we  do,  dear  Jonathan  ?  Jonathan  went  forward 
44  muttering  to  himself— Do  ?  I  vow  Ebenezar,  I  don't 
u  know  what  we  shall  do  any  more  than  thyself!"  When 
fortunately  one  of  our  soldiers  (who  was  a  thorough  bred 
seaman,  and  had  served  several  years  on  board  a  ship  of 
war,  and  afterwsrds  in  a  privateer,)  hearing  and  seeing  the 
helpless  stale  of  mind  which  our  poor  New  Englandmen 
"Were  under,  and  our  sloop  drawing  towards  the  shore,  called 

out, "  why,  d n  your  eyes  and  Jimt.s,  down  with  her 

sails,  and  let  her  drive  a e  foremost,  what  the  devil  sig- 
nifies your  praying  and  canting  now  ?"  Ebenezar  quickly 
taking  the  hint,  called  to  Jonathan  to  lower  the  sails,  say- 
ing he  believed  that  young  man's  advice  was  very  good, 
but  wished  he  had  not  delivered  it  so  profanely  ! ! — and  the 
soldier  took  the  helm  and  saved  the  sloop.  If  captain  John 
Knox  should  be  living,  the  old  gentleman  would  blush  should 
be  read  this  extract. 

I  have  frequently  thought  that  the  over-rated  and  highly 
boasted  British  bravery  and  humanity,  would  find  their 
graves  in  America.  The  treatment  these  soldiers  experi- 
enced has  stigmatised  the  English  character,  and  deservedly 
so.  It  is  not  in  the  power  of  words,  and  scarcely  in  the 
power  of  the  painter's  pencil,  to  convey  an  idea  of  their 
wretchedness.  They  we're  covered  with  rags,  dirt,  and  ver- 
min. They  were,  to  us,  objects  of  pity,  but  to  all  others,  ob- 
jects of  disgust;  even  we,  their  brothers,  recoiled,  at  times, 
on  approaching  them.  Was  there  any  design  in  this  ? 


JOURSAfe 

our  enemies  wish  to  impress  their  countrymen  with  an  abhor- 
rence of  ayarJut?  How  eise  can  we  account  for  a  treatment 
which  our  people  never  experienced  when  prisoners  of  the 
Indians  ?  No — the  savages  never  starve  their  prisoners,  nor 
deprive  them  the  use  of  water.  Dispirited,  and  every  way 
disheartened,  our  poor  fellows  had,  generally  speaking,  the 
aspect  of  a  cowardly,  low  spirited  race  of  men,  and  much 
inferior  to  the  British.  We  here  saw  how  wretched  circum- 
stances, in  a  short  time,  debases  a  brave  and  high  spirited 
man.  When  people  from  the  shore  visited  our  ship,  and  saw 
our  miserable  soldiers,  we  do  not  wonder  that  they  despised 
them,  We  sometimes  had  the  mortification  of  hearing  re- 
marks in  the  Scotch  accent,  to  this  effect :  "  So,  these  are 
"  samples  of  the  brave  yankees  that  took  the  G-ucrriere  and 
"k  Java  ;  it  proves  to  a  demonstration,  that  the  American  IVi- 
'•  gates  were  manned  with  British  deserters." 

The  sailors  often  tried  to  spirit  up  the  soldiers,  and  to  en- 
courage them  to  cleanliness  ;  but  it  was  in  vain,  as  most  of 
them  were  depressed  below  the  elasticity  of  their  brave 
souls  ;  yet  amidst  their  distress,  not  a  man  of  them  would 
listen  to  proposals  to  enter  the  British  service.  Every  one 
preferred  death,  and  even  wished  for  it.  The  Americans  are 
a  clean  people  in  their  persons,  as  well  as  in  their  houses. 
None  of  them  are  so  poor  as  to  live  in  cabins,  like  the  Irish  : 
or  in  cottages,  like  the  Scotch;  but  they  are  brought  up  in 
houses  having  chimnies,  glass  windows,  separate  and  conve- 
nient rooms,  and  good  bedding  ;  and  to  all  these  comfortable 
things  we  must  add  that  the  poorest  of  our  countrymen  eat 
meat  once  every  day,  and  m®st  of  them  twice.  To  young 
rnen  so  brought  up  and  nourished,  a  British  captivity  on 
board  their  horrid  transports,  and  even  en  board  their  pri- 
son-ships, is  worse  than  death.  Jf  we,  Americans,  treat  Brit- 
ish prisoners  as  they  treat  ours,  let  it  be  sounded  through  the 
world  to  our  disgrace.  Should  the  war  continue  many  years, 
I  predict  that  few  Americans  will  be  taken  alive  by  the 
English. 

After  these  poor  fellows  had  received  money  and  clothing 
from  our  government,  they  became  cheerful,  clean,  and  ma- 
ny of  them  neat,  and  were  no  bad  specimens  of  American 
•oldiery.  We  are  sorry  to  again  remark,  that  there  was  ob- 
served something  repulsive  between  the  soldier  and  the  sail- 
or. The  soldier  thought  himself  better  th  m  the  Jack  tar, 

ile  the  sailor,  fell  himself,  on  board  ship}  a  bet:er  fellow 


JOURNAL, 

than  the  soldier  ;  one  wag  a  fish  in  the  water ;  the  other  a 
lobster  out  of  the  water.  The  sailors  always  took  the  lead, 
because  they  were  at  home ;  while  the  dispirited  landsman 
felt  himself  a  stranger  in  an  enemy's  land,  even  among  his 
countrymen.  It  would  be  well  if  all  our  sea  and  land  com- 
manders would  exert  themselves  to  break  down  the  partition 
wall  that  is  growing  up  between  our  sailors  and  soldiers ; 
they  should  be  constantly  reminded  that  they  are  all  chil- 
dren of  one  and  the  same  great  family,  whereof  the  President 
of  the  United  States  is  Father  ;  that  they  have  all  been 
taught  to  read  the  same  bible,  and  to  obey  the  same  great 
moral  law  of  loving  one  another.  I  observed,  with  pain, 
that  nothing  vexed  a  sailor  more,  than  to  be  called  by  a  bro- 
ther tar,  a  soldier-looking  son  of  a .  This  term  of  con- 
tempt commonly  led  to  blows.  This  mutual  dislike  bred 
difficulties  in  the  government  of  ourselves,  and  sometimes 
defeated  our  best  regulations  ;  for  it  split  us  into  parties  ; 
arid  then  we  behaved  as  bad  as  our  superiors  and  richer  bre- 
thren do  oa  shore,  neglecting  the  general  interest  to  indulge 
our  own  private  view^j,  and  spirit  of  revenge.  I  thought  our, 
ship  often  resembled  our  republic  in  miniature  ;  for  human 
nature  is  the  same  Always,  and  only  varies  its  aspect  from 
situation  and  circumstances. 

It  is  now  the  latter  end  of  September;  the  weather  pretty 
pleasant,  but  not  equal  to  our  fine  Septembers  and  Octobers 
in  New-England.  We  are,  every  hour,  expecting  orders  to 
quit  this  river,  to  return  to  our  own  dear  country. 


CHAPTER  III. 

October  2d,  1814. — We  were  now  ordered  to  pick  up  our 
duds  and  get  all  ready  to  embark  in  certain  gun-brigs  that 
had  anchored  along  side  of  us  ;  and  an  hundred  of  us  were 
soon  put  on  board,  and  the  tide  favouring,  we  gently  drifted 
down  the  river  Medway.  It  rained,  and  not  being  permit- 
ted to  go  below,  and  being  thinly  clad,  we  were  wet  to  the 
skin.  When  the  rain  ceased,  our  commander  went  below, 
ami  returned,  in  a  short  time,  gaily  equipped  in  his  full  uni- 


JOURNAL. 


form,  cockade  and  dirk.  He  mounted  the  poop,  where  he 
strutted  about,  sometimes  viewing  himself,  and  now  and  then 
eyeing  us,  as  if  to  see  if  we,  too,  admired  him.  He  was 
about  five  feet  high,  with  broad  shoulders,  and  portly  belly. 
We  concluded  that  he  would  afford  us  some  fun  ;  but  we 
were  mistaken  ;  for,  with  the  body  of  Dr.  Slop,  he  bore  a 
round,  ruddy,  open  and  smiling  countenance,  expressive  of 
good  nature  and  urbanity.  The  crew  said,  that  although 
be  was  no  seaman,  he  was  a  man,  and  a  better  fellow  neve* 
eat  the  king's  bread ;  that  they  were  happy  under  his  com- 
mand ;  and  the  only  dread  they  had  was,  that  he,  or  they 
should  be  transferred  to  another  ship.  Does  not  this  prove 
that  seamen  can  be  better  governed  by  kindness  and  good 
humor  than  by  the  boatswain's  cat  ?  We  would  ask  two  of 
our  own  naval  Commanders,  B.  and  C.  whether  they  had  not 
better  try  the  experiment  ?  We  should  be  very  sorry  if  the 
infant  navy  of  our  young  country,  should  have  the  character 
of  too  much  severity  of  discipline.  To  say  that  it  is  re- 
quisite is  a  libel  on  our  national  character.  Slavish  minds 
alone  require  the  lash. 

On  board  this  brig  were  two  London  mechanics,  recently 
pressed  in  the  streets  of  the  capital  of* the  English  nation— 
agnation  that  has  long  boasted  of  its  liberty  and  humanity. 
These  cocknies  wore  long  coats,  drab-coloured  velvet  breech- 
es, and  grey  stockings.  They  were  constantly  followed  by 
the  boatswain's  mate ;  who  often  impressed  his  lessons,  and 
excited  their  activity  with  a  cope's  end  which  he  carried  in 
his  hat.  The  poor  fellows  were  extremely  anxious  to  avoid 
such  repeated  hard  arguments;  and  they  kept  at  as  great  a 
distance  from  their  tyrant  as  possible,  who  seemed  to  delight 
in  beating  them.  It  appeared  to  me  to  be  far  out-doing  in 
cruelty,  the  Algerines.  They  looked  melancholy,  and  at 
times,  very  sad.  May  America  never  become  the  greatest 
of  naval  powers,  if  to  attain  it,  she  must  allow  a  brutal  sail- 
or to  treat  a  citizen,  kidnapped  from  his  family  in  the  streets 
of  our  cities,  worse  than  we  use  a  dog.  I  again  repeat  it,  for 
the  thousandth  time,  the  English  are  a  hard  hearted,  crue! 
and  barbarous  race ;  and,  on  this  account  alone,  1  have  oft- 
en been  ashamed,  that  we,  Americans,  descended  mostly 
from  them.  When  a  man  is  ill  used,  it  invites  others  to  in- 
sult him.  One  of  our  prisoners,  who  had  been  treated  with 
ft  drink  of  grog,  took  out  his  knife,  and,  as  the  cockney's  face 
was  turned  the  other  way,  cut  off  one  skirt  of  his  long  CG;.:; 


JOURNAL,"  147 

Thi?  excited  peals  of  laughter.  When  the  poor  Londoner 
saw  that  this  was  done  by  a  roguish  American,  at  the  insti- 
gation of  his  own  countrymen,  the  tear  stood  in  his  eye. 
Even  our  jolly,  big  bellied  captain,  enjoyed  the  joke,  and  or- 
dered (he  boatswain's  mate  to  cut  off  the  other  skirt,  who,  af- 
ter viewing  him  amidst  shouts  of  laughter,  damned  him  for 
a  land  lubber,  and  said,  now  he  had  lost  his  ring-tail,  he  look- 
ed like  a  gentleman  sailor. 

Although  our  good  natured  captain  laughed  at  this  joke, 
I  confess  I  could  not ;  all  the  horrors  of  impressment  rush- 
ed on  my  mind.  This  mechanic  may  have  left  a  wife  and 
children,  suffering  and  starving,  from  having  her  husband 
and  their  father  kidnapped,. like  a  negro  on  the  coast  of  Gui- 
nea, and  held  in  worse  than  negro  slavery.  But  this  is  Old 
England,  the  residence  of  liberty  and  equal  laws ;  and  the 
bulwark  of  our  holy  religion  !  The  crimes  of  nations  are  pu- 
nished in  this  world ;  and  we  may  venture  to  predict,  that 
the  impressment  of  seamen,  and  cruel  military  punishments, 
will  operate  the  downfal  of  this  splendid  imposter,  whose 
proper  emblem  is  a  bloated  figure,  seated  on  a  throne,  made 
of  dead  mens'  bones,  with  a  crown  on  its  head,  a  sword  in 
one  hand,  and  a  cup  filled  with  the  tears  of  widows  and  or- 
phans in  the  other. 

Mr.  Peel,  a  member  of  the  British  parliament,  delivered 
an  unfeeling  speech  relative  to  Ireland,  in  which  he  speaks 
of  their  untamcable  ferocity,  and  systematic  guilt,  supported 
by  perjury,  related  this  most  affecting  anecdote,  which  was 
to  shew  the  feeling  of  abhorrence  entertained  against  those 
who  gave  evidence  against  those  who  were  tried  for  resist- 
ing a  government  they  detested — A  man  who  was  condemn- 
ed to  death  was  offered  a  pardon,  on  the  condition  that  he 
would  give  evidence,  which  they  knew  he  could  give,  after 
having  actually  given  a  part  of  hig  testimony,  retracted  it 
in  open  court ;  his  wife,  who  was  strongly  attached  to  her 
husband,  having  prayed  him  on  her  knees,  with  tears,  that  he 
would  be  hanged  rather  than  give  evidence.  The  house  burst 
out  into  a  loud  and  general  LAUGH  !  !  ! 

Here  was  an  heroic  woman  who  leaves  the  wife  of  Brutus 
and  of  Peel  us  far  behind  her.  If  this  extraordinary  and 
shockingly  affecting  scene  had  taken  place  in  the  Congress 
of  the  United  Stales  of  America,  would  it  have  excited 
LAUGHTER,  or  deep  commisseration  ?  Greater  men  thaa 
members  of  parliament,  can  laugh  at  misery.  See  what 
Juntas  says  of  kiLg  George  the  3d  and  Chancellor  York. 


I 


*4b  JOURNAL. 

There  is  another  Irish  anecdote  worth  relating.— Duriag 
the  troubles  ia  Ireland  a  Boy  16  years  old  was  seized  by  the 
military,  who  demanded  of  him  to  whom  he  belonged/  He 
refused  to  tell.  They  tied  hirn  up  to  the  halberts,  and  he 
endured  a  severe  whipping  without  confessing  whom  he 
served.  At  length  his  sister,  who  was  about  18,  unable  to 
endure  the  sight  of  his  torture  any  longer,  run  to  the  officer 
and  told  him  that  he  was  in  the  service  of  Mr. —  a  sus- 
pected man.  The  brave  boy  damned  his  sister  for  a  blab- 
bing b — •  for  noiv  said  he  the  cause  of  Ireland  is  betrayed 
and  ruined.  Here  are  traits  of  Spartan  virtues,  that  a  mod- 
ern British  house  of  commons  are  past  comprehending.  A 
stronger  proof  of  debasement  cannot  well  be  imagined  in  the 
Senate  of  England. 

We  passed  by  Sheerness,  and,  in  our  passage  to  the  Nore, 
came  near  several  hulks  filled  with  convicts.  We  soon  came 
along  side  the  Leyden,  an  old  Dutch  64,  fitted  up  with  births, 
eight  feet  by  six,  so  as  to  contain  six  persons;  but  they  were 
nearly  all  filled  by  prisoners  who  came  before  us,  so  that  we 
were  obliged  to  shirk  wherever  we  could. 

We  found  the  captain  of  the  Leyden  very  much  such  a 
man  as  the  commander  of  the  Malabar.  Our  allowance  of 
food  was  as  short  as  he  could  make  it,  and  our  liquor  ungen- 
erous. He  said  we  were  a  damn  set  of  rebel  yankees  that 
lived  too  well,  which  made  us  saucy.  The  first  lieutenant 
was  a  kind  and  humane  gentleman,  but  his  captain  was  the 
reverse.  He  would  hear  no  complaints,  and  threatened  to 
put  the  bearer  of  them  in  irons. 

The  countenance,  and  whole  form  of  this  man  was  indi- 
cative of  malice;  his  very  step  was  that  of  an  abrupt  and 
angry  tyrant.  His  gloomy  visage  was  that  of  an  hardened 
jailor;  and  he  bore  towards  us  the  same  sort  of  affection 
\vhicliwe  experienced  from  the  refugees  in  Nova  Scotia. — 
He  caused  a  marine  to  be  most  severely  flogged  for  selling 
one  of  the  prisoners  a  little  tobacco,  which  he  saved  o-it  of 
his  own  allowance.  The  crew  were  forbidden  to  speak 
with  any  of  us;  but,  when  they  could  with  safety,  they 
deecribed  him  to  be  the  most  odious  of  tyrants,  and  the  most 
malicious  of  men.  They  said  he  never  appeared  pleased 
only  when  his  men  were  suffering  the  agonies  of  the  boat- 
swain's lashes.  In  this  he  resembled  the  demons  among  the 
damned. 

Upon  calling  over  our  names,  and  parading  ourselw 


JOURNAL. 

fore  captain  Davie,  we  could  discover,  in  a  second,  the 
harsh  temper  of  the  man.  We  at  length  weighed  anchor, 
passed  a  fleet  of  men  of  war,  and  in  a  few  days  arrived  in 
Plymouth  harbor.  The  captain  went  immediately  on  shore 
and  left  the  command  to  his  worthy  and  humane  lieutenant. 
The  next  day  a  great  many  boats  came  off  to  us  filled  with 
Cyprian  dames.  They  were,  generally,  healthy,  rosy  look- 
ing lasses.  Their  number  increased  every  hour,  until  there 
were  as  many  on  board  of  us  as  there  were  men.  In  short,  ev- 
ery man  who  paid  the  waterman  half  a  crown  had  a  wife ;  so 
that  the  ship,  belonging  to  the  bulwark  of  our  religion,  ex- 
hibited such  a  scene  as  is  described  by  the  navigators,  who 
have  visited  the  South-Sea  Islands.  We  read,  with  sur- 
prise and  pity,  the  conduct  of  the  female  sex,  when  Euro- 
pean ships  visit  the  islands  in  the  Pacific  ocean  ;*  and  we 
are  unwilling  to  give  credit  to  all  we  read,  because  we, 
Americans,  never  fail  to  annex  the  idea  of  modesty  to  that 
of  a  woman  ;  for  female  licentiousness  is  very  rarely  wit- 
nessed in  the  new  world.  This  has  rendered  the  accounts 
of  navigators,  in  a  degree,  incredible ;  but  we  see  the  same 
thing  in  the  ports  of  England — a  land  of  Christians — renown- 
ed for  its  bishops  and  their  church,  and  for  moral  writings 
and  sermons,  and  for  their  bible  societies,  and  religious  in- 
stitutions, and  for  their  numerous  moral  essays,  and  chaste  po- 
etical writings.  Yes,  Christian  reader!  in  this  religious  island, 
whereof  George  the  3d  is  king,  and  Charlotte  the  queen,  the 
young  females  crowd  the  prison  ships,  and  take  for  husbands 
the  ragged  American  prisoners,  provided  they  can  get  a  few 
shillings  by  it !  What  are  we  to  think  of  the  state  of  soci- 
ety in  England,  when  two  or  three  sisters  leave  the  house  of 
their  parents,  and  pass  a  week  on  board  of  a  newly  arrived 
ship  ?  What  can  be  the  sentiments  of  the  daughters  ?  What 
the  feelings  of  their  mothers,  their  fathers,  and  their  bro- 
thers? In  the  South  Sea  Islands,  young  females  know  not  what 
modesty  means ;  neither  that  nor  chastity  is  a  virtue  in  those 
regions.*  But  it  is  not  quite  so  in  England ;  there  this  lewd 
conduct  is  a  mark  of  debasement,  depravity  and  vice.  The 
sea-ports  of  England,  and  the  streets  of  her  capital,  and,  in- 
deed, of  all  her  large  cities  are  filled  with  handsome  women, 
who  offer  themselves  as  wives  to  men  they  never  saw  before, 

*  See  the  Journals  of  English  Navigators  generally;  and  Captain 
Portals  Journal  of  his  cruize  in  the  U.  S.  frigate  Essex. 
13 


J50  JOURNAL. 

for  a  few  shillings  ;  and  yet  this  is  the  country  of  which  our 
reverend  doctors,  from  the  pulpit,  assure  us,  contains  more 
religion  and  morality  than  any  other  of  the  same  number  of 
inhabitants  ;  nay,  more,  our  governor  has  proclaimed  it  to 
the  world  over,  as  being  the  very  "  bulwark  of  the  religion 
we  profess."  If  cruelty  to  prisoners,  cruelty  to  their  own 
soldiers,  if  kidnapping  their  mechanics,  by  press  gangs,  if 
shocking  barbarity  be  exercised  towards  prisoners,  and  if 
open,  shameless  lewdness,  mark  and  disgrace  their  sea-ports, 
their  capital,  and  all  their  large  cities,  are  -the  modest  and 
correct  people,  inhabiting  the  towns  and  villages  of  the 
ed  States,  to  be  affronted  by  being  told  publicly,  tint  they 
have  less  religion,  less  morality  than  the  people  of  England  ? 
How  long  shall  we  continue  to  be  abused  by  folly  and  pre- 
sumption ?  We,  Americans,  are  yet  a  modest,  clean,  and  mo- 
ral people ;  as  much  so  as  the  Swiss  in  Europe  ;  and  we  feel 
ourselves  offended,  and  disgusted  when  our  blind  guides  tell 
us  to  follow  the  example  of  the  English  in  their  manners,  and 
sexual  conduct.  Could  I  allow  myself  to  particularise  the 
conduct  of  the  fair  sex,  who  crowd  on  board  every  recently 
arrived  ship,  and  who  swarm  on  the  shores,  my  readers  would 
confess  that  few  scenes  of  the  kind  could  exceed  it.  The 
freedom  of  the  American  press  will  give  to  posterity  a  just 
picture  of  British  morals,  in  the  reigns  of  George  the  3d  and 
4th. 

While  laying  in  Plymouth  harbor,  we  received  the  news  of 
the  capture  of  the  City  of  Washington  ;  and  the  burning  of 
its  public  buildings  with  the  library.  The  burning  the  pub- 
lic buildings  and  the  library  of  books  at  Washington  has 
been  execrated  by  all  the  civilized  world.  The  British  are 
famous,  or  rather  infamous  for  this  barbarous  mode  of  war- 
fare. We  find  this  passage  in  Captain  John  Krsox's  F?ir-tori- 
cal  Journal  of  the  Campaigns  in  North  America  in  1758 — 
"  Brigadier  Wolfe  has  been  also  successful  at  Gaspe,  and  the 
N.  N.  E.  parts  of  this  province,  (Nova  Scotia)  he  has  burn- 
ed, among  other  settlements  a  most  valuable  one  called 
Mount  St.  Louis:  the  intendant  of  the  place  offered  150,000 
livres  to  ransom  that  town  and  its  environs,  which  were  no- 
bly rejected  :  all  their  magazines  of  corn,  dried  fish,  barrel- 
led eels,  and  other  provisions  which  they  had  for  themselves, 
and  other  provisions  for  Quebec  market,  were  all  destroyed. 
Wherever  he  went  with  his  troops  deb  Jatiori  foHowtd."- 
And  this,  reader,  was  the  glorious  General  WoSfe,  whom  hU 


JOURNAL. 

barbarous  nation,  and  our  own  fools  have  extolled  to  the 
skies  in  marble  monuments,  and  his  sons.  Cockburn  was 
nothing  compared  with  this  immortal  plunderer  and  burner  of 
villages  and  destroyer  of  the  provisions  laid  up  for  the  men, 
women  and  children  of  the  French  settlements  in  Arcadia. 
General  Wolfe  perpetrated  this  savage  deed  in  the  latter  end 
of  November,  1758,  when  the  wretched  inhabitants  had  a 
long  and  dreary  winter  before  them.  But  Wolfe  and  Ross 
were  punished,  by  the  just  avenger. 

"  Gapt.  M'Curdie  was  killed  by  the  falling  of  a  tree  on  the 
30th,  and  Lieut.  Hazen  commands  at  present,  who  returned 
last  night  from  a  scout  up  this  river :  he  went  to  St.  Ann's 
and  burnt  147  dwelling  houses,  2  mass-houses,  besides  all 
their  barns,  stables,  out-houses,  granaries,  &c.  He  returned 
down  the  river  about  — —  where  he  found  a  house  in  a  thick 
forest,  with  a  number  of  cattle,  horses  and  hogs ;  these  he 
destroyed.  There  was  fire  in  the  chimney  ;  the  people  were 
gone  oiF  into  the  woods;  he  pursued,  killed  and  scalped  six. 
men,  brought  in  four,  with  two  women  and  three  children  ; 
he  returned  to  the  house,  set  it  on  fire,  threw  the  cattle  into 
the  flames,  and  arrived  safe  with  his  prisoners." — from  page 
230  of  Captain  Knox's  Historical  Journal  of  Campaigns  in 
North  America  from  175(3  to  1760.  This  work  in  t\vo  4  to. 
vol.  is  dedicated  by  permission  to  Lieutenant  General  Sir 
Jeffrey  Amiierst,  and  printed  in  L  ouon  by  Dodsley,  1769. 
It  has  for  its  motto  nc  quid  falsiy  dicere  audeat,  ue  quid  vcri 
non  ccudcat. 

Every  body  around  us  believed  that  America  was  con- 
quered, and  the  war  over.  After  we  had  read  the  account 
in  the  newspaper,  the  Lieutenant  came  down  among  us,  and 
talked  with  us  on  the  event ;  and  asked  us  if  we  did  not 
think  that  America1  would  now  submit  and  make  peace  on 
such  terms  as  Great  Britain  should  propose  ?  We  all  told 
him  with  one  voice,  no!  no!  and  that  the  possession  of  the 
whole  sea-coast  could  not  produce  that  eifect.  We  explain- 
ed to  him  the  situation  of  Washington ;  and  described  the 
half  built  city  ;  and  soon  convinced  him  that  the  capture  of 
Washington,  was  by  no  means  an  event  of  half  the  import- 
ance of  the  capture  of  Albany,  or  New-York,  or  Baltimore. 
We  all  agreed  that  it  would  make  a  great  sound  in  Eng- 
land, and  throughout  Europe,  but  that  it  was,  in  fact,  of  lit- 
tle consequence  to  the  UNITED  STATES.  Why  should  a  re- 
publican  weep  at  the  burning  of  a  palace  ? 


JOURNAL. 

About  a  week  after  we  entered  Plymouth  harbor,  two 
hundred  of  us  were  drafted  to  be  sent  to  Dartmoor  Prison, 
instead  of  being  sent,  as  \ve  expected,  to  America. 

We  were  conveyed  in  boats,  and  saw,  as  we  passed,  a 
number  of  men  of  war  on  the  stocks  ;  and,  among  others, 
the  Lord  Vincent,  pierced  for  120  guns.  One  of  our  pri- 
soners told  the  lieutenant  that  he  was  in  that  battle  with 
Lord  St.  Vincent,  and  of  course  helped  him  gain  the  victo- 
ry, and  here  he  was  now  sailing  by  a  most  noble  ship,  (built 
in  honour  of  that  famous  admiral)  on  his  way  to  a  doleful 
prison  !  This  man  had  been  pressed  on  board  a  British  man 
of  war,  and  was  given  up  as  such  ;  but  instead  of  being  sent 
home  as  he  ought,  he  was  detained  a  prisoner  of  war,  and 
yet  this  unfortunate  man  exposed  his  life  in  fighting  for  the 
British  off  Cape  St.  Vincents,  as  much  as  the  noble  Lord 
himself.  Such  is  the  difference  of  rewards  in  this  chequered 
world ! 

,  My  mind  was  too  much  oppressed  with  the  melancholy 
prospect  of  Dartmoor  prison,  to  notice  particularly  the 
gallant  show  oF  ships ;  and  the  beautiful  scenery  which  the 
dock  and  bay  ef  Plymouth  afforded.  When  we  landed  a 
short  distance  from  the  dock,  we  were  received  by  a  file  of 
soldiers,  or  rather  two  files,  between  which  we  marched  on  to 
prison.  This  was  the  first  time  we  touched  the  soil  of  Eng- 
land with  our  feet,  after  laying  under  its  shores  nearly  a 
year.  It  excited  singular  and  pleasant  sensations  to  be  once 
more  permitted  to  walk  on  the  earth,  although  surrounded  by 
soldiers  and  going  to  prison.  The  old  women  collected  a- 
bout  us  with  their  cakes  and  ale,  and  as  we  all  had  a  little 
money  we  soon  emptied  their  jugs  and  baskets ;  and  theiy 
cheering  beverage  soon  changed  our  sad  countenances; 
and  as  we  marched  on  we  cheered  each  other.  Our  march 
drew  to  the  doors  and  windows  the  enchanting  sight  of  fair 
ladies;  compared  with  our  dirty  selves,  they  looked  like  an- 
gels peeping  out  of  Heaven;  and  yet  they  were  neither 
handsomer,  or  neater  than  our  sweethearts  and  sisters  in  our 
own  dear  country. 

After  we  left  the  street,  we  found  the  road  extremely  dus- 
ty, which  rendered  it  very  unpleasant  in  walking  close  to 
each  other.  Before  we  got  half  way  to  the  prison,  there  was 
a  very  heavy  shower  of  rain,  so  that  by  the  time  we  arrived 
there  we  looked  as  if  we  had  been  wallowing  in  the  mud. 
Oar  unfeeling  conductors  marched  us  nine  miles  before  tb<>y 


JOURNAL. 

allowed  us  to  rest;  never  once  considering  how  unfit  we 
were,  from  our  long  confinement,  for  travelling.  Where  we 
were  allowed  to  stop,  a  butt  of  beer  was  placed  in  a  cart  for 
saie.  Had  British  prisoners  been  marching  through  New- 
England,  a  butt  of  beer,  or  good  cider  would  have  been  pla- 
ced for  them  free  of  all  expense ;  but  Old  England  is  not 
New-England  by  a  great  deal,  whatever  Governor  STKONG 
may  think  of  his  adorable  country  of  kings,  bishops  and  mis- 
sionary societies.*  Here  a  fresh  escort  of  soldiers  relieved 
those  who  brought  us  from  Plymouth.  The  commanding  of- 
ficer of  this  detachment  undertook  to  drive  us  from  the  beer- 
cart  before  ail  of  us  had  a  taste  of  it ;  he  rode  in  among  us, 
and  flourished  his  sword,  with  a  view  to  frighten  us;  but  we 
refused  to  stir  till  we  were  ready,  and  some  of  our  company 

called  him  a  damned  lobster  backed ; ,  for  wishing  to 

drive  us  away  before  every  one  had  his  drink.  The  man 
was  perplexed,  and  knew  not  what  to  do.  At  last  the  booby 
did  what  he  ought  to  have  done  at  first — forced  the  beer- 
seller  to  drive  off  his  cart.  But  it  is  .the  fate  of  British  officers 
of  higher  rank  than  this  one,  to  think  and  act  at  last  of  that 
which  they  ought  to  have  thought,  and  acted  upon  at^irsf. 
They  are  no  match  for  the  yankees,  in  contrivance,  or  in  exe- 
cution. This  beer  barrel  is  an  epitome  of  all  their  conduct 
in  their  war  with  America.  What  old  woman  put  the  idea 
into  this  officer's  head  1  know  not ;  but  it  is  a  fact,  as  soon 
as  the  beer  barrel  was  driven  off,  we  were  all  ready  to  march 
off  too !  And  few  companies  of  vagabonds  in  England  ever 
marched  off  to  prison  in  better  spirits;  we  cheered  one  another, 
and  laughed  at  our  profound  leader,  until  we  came  in  sight 
of  the  black,  bleak,  and  barren  moor,  without  a  solitary  bush 
or  blade  of  grass.  Some  of  our  prisoners  swore  that  we  had 
marched  the  whole  length  of  England,  and  got  into  Scot- 
land. We  all  agreed  that  it  was  not  credible  that  such  a  hi- 
deous, barren  spot  could  be  any  where  found  in  England. 

Our  old  rnen-of- wars-men  suffered  the  most.  Many  of 
these  had  not  set  their  feet  on  the  earth  for  seven  years,  and 
they  had  lost  in  a  measure,  the  natural  operation  of  their 

*  The  Yankees  first  taught  the  British  soldiery  to  brew  spruce  beer 
at  the  siege  of  Louisbourg.  The  reader  may  find  directions  for  mak- 
ing it  in  general  orders  issued  by  General  Ambers!  hi  Sept.  1758.  See 
Captain  John  Knox's  Historical  Journal,  Vol.  I,  page  184,  where  it 
?ay.s  that  one  gallon  of  this  beer  costs,  ojolasse/,  and  ail}  less  thuu  a 
sterling  a  gallon. 
13* 


JOURNAL 

feet  and  legs.  These  naval  veterans  loitered  lie-hind;  afv 
tended  by  a  guard.  In  ascending  a  hill  we  were  some  dis- 
tance from  the  main  body,  and  by  taming  a  corner  the  rear 
was  concealed  from  the  van.  Two  young:  men  took  advan- 
tage of  this,  and  jumped  over  a  wall,  and  lay  snusc  under 
it;  but  being  observed,  the  guard  fired,  which  alarmed 
those  in  front,  when  some  soldiers  pursued  them,  and  seeing 
the  impossibility  of  escaping,  the  young  men  jumped  over 
the  wall  again,  and  mixed  in  with  their  companions  without 
their  being  able  to  identify  their  persons.  Our  driver  was- 
extremely  perplexed  and  alarmed  at  our  daring  attempts. 

On  crawling  op  the  long  and  ragged  hill,  we  became  wea- 
ried, and  refused  to  walk  so  fast  as-  did  the  guard.  No  pru- 
dent officer  would  have  driven  men  on  as  we  were  driven 
We  should  have  rested  every  two  or  three  miles. — The  sun 
was  sinking  below  the  horizon  when  we  gained  the  top  of 
the  hill  which  commanded  a  view  of  Dartmow  prison.  We 
passed  through  a  small  collection  of  houses  called  Prince- 
town,  where  were  two  inns.  The  weather  was  disagreeable 
after  the  shower,  and  we  saw  the  dark-hued  prisons,  whose 
sombre  and  doleful  aspect  chilled  our  blood.  Yonder,  cried 
one  of  our  companions,  is  the  residence  of  four  thousand  five 
hundred  men.,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  shall  add  to  the  num- 
ber of  its  wretches.  Others  said,  in  that  place  will  be  sa- 
crificed the  aspiring  feelings  of  youth,  and  the  anxious  ex- 
pectations of  relatives.  There,  said  1,  shall  we  bury  all  the 
designs  of  early  emulation.  I  never  felt  disheartened  be- 
fore. I  shed  tears  when  I  thought  of  home,  and  of  my  wretch- 
ed situation,  arid  I  cursed  the  barbarity  of  a  people  among 
whom  we  were  driven  more  like  hogs  than  fellow  men  and 
Christians.  I  had  weathered  adverse  gale»  with  fortitude  ; 
and  never  flinched  amidst  severities.  "  A  taught  bowstring" 
was  always  my  motto  ;  but  here  I  gave  way  for  a  moment., 
*o  despair,  and  wished  the  string  to  snap  asunder  and  end  my 
misery ;  for  I  had  not  even  the  consolation  of  a  criminal  go- 
Ing  to  execution  to  brace  up  the  cord  of  life  and  inspire  hope 
beyond  the  grave.  The  idea  of  lingering  out  a  wretched 
existence  in  a  doleful  prison,  dying  by  piece-meals,  my  flesh 
wasting  by  hunger,  my  frame  exhausting  by  thirst,  and  my 
spirits  broken  <iown  by  a  tyrant,  and  by  jostling  with  mis- 
fortunes, I  could  not  avoid.  If  death,  instead  of  knocking 
at  my  prison  door,  would  enter  it  at  once,  I  would  thank  the 
goal  deliverer.  1  am  now  comforted  with  the 


J 


that  nothing  but  an  early  religious  education  could  have  pre- 
served me  at  this,  and  some  other  times  of  my  misery,  from 
destroying  myself. 

We  soon  arrived  at  the  gates  of  this  very  extensive  prison, 
and  were  admitted  into  the  first  yard,  for  it  had  several.  We 
there  answered  to  (he  call  of  our  names;  and  at  length  pass- 
ed through  the  iron  gates  to  prison  No.  7.  We  requested 
the  turnkey  to  take  in  our  baggage,  as  it.  contained  our  bed- 
ding ;  but  "it  was  neglected,  and  rained  on  during  the  night  ; 
for  on  this  bleak  anddrizly  mountain  there  are  not  more  than 
ninety  fair  days  in  the  year.  It  took  us  several  days  to  dry 
our  duds,  for  they  merited  not  the  name  of  baggage. 

The  moment  we  entered  the  dark  prison,  we  found  our- 
selves jammed  in  with  a  multitude;  one  calling  us  to  come 
this  way,  another  that;  some  halloing,  swearing  and  cursing, 
so  that  I  did  not  know,  for  a  moment,  but  what  I  had  died 
through  fatigue  and  hard  usage,  and  was  actually  in  the  re- 
gions of  the  damned.  Oh,  what  a  horrid  night  I  here  passed! 

The  floors  of  this  reproach  to  Old  England  were  of  stone,, 
damp  and  mouldy,  and  smelling  like  a  transport.  Here  we  had 
to  lay  clown  and  sleep  after  a  most  weary  march  of  15  miles. 
What  apology  can  be  made  for  not  having  things  prepared 
for  our  comfort  ?  Those  who  have  been  enslaved  in  Algiers 
found  things  very  different.  The  food  and  the  lodging  were 
in  every  respect  superior  among  the  Mahometans,  than  among 
these  boasting  Christians,  and  their  general  treatment  infinite- 
ly more  humane  ;  some  of  our  companions  had  been  prison- 
ers among  the  Barbary  powers,  and  they  describe  them  as 
vastly  more  considerate  than  the  English. 

After  passing  a  dreadful  night,  we  next  day  had  opportu- 
nity of  examining  our  prison.  It  had  iron  staneheons,  like 
those  in  stables  for  horses,  on  which  hammocks  were  hung. 
The  windows  had  iron  gratings,  and  the  bars  of  the  doors 
seemed  calculated  to  resist  the  force  of  men,  and  of  time. 
These  things  had  a  singular  effect  on  such  of  us,  as  had,  from 
our  childhood,  associated  the  idea  of  liberty  with  the  name 
of  Old  England;  but  a  man  must  travel  beyond  the  smoke 
of  his  own  chimney  to  acquire  correct  ideas  of  the  charac- 
ters of  men,  and  of  nations. — We  however  saw  the  worst  of 
'it  at  first;  for  every  day  our  residence  appeared  less  disa- 
greeable. 

We  arrived  here  the  llth  of  October;  and  eur  lot  wag 
better  than  that  of  thirty  of  our  companions,  who  earns  on  a- 


J'v)0  JOURNAL. 

little  after  us  from  Plymouth.  These  30  men  were  sent  from 
the  West-Indies,  and  h;.d  no  descriptive  lists,  and  it  was  ne- 
cessciry  that  these  men  should  be  measured  and  described  as 
to  stature,  complexion,  &c. — Capt.  Shortland  therefore  or- 
dered them  to  he  shut  up  in  the  prison  No.  6.  This  was  a 
more  cold,  dreary  and  comfortless  place  than  No.  7.  Their 
bed  was  nothing  but  the  cold  damp  stones;  and  being 
in  total  darkness  they  dare  not  walk  about.  These  30  men 
had  been  imprisoned  at  Barbadoes  ;  and  they  had  supposed 
that  when  they  arrived  at  this  famous  birth  place  of  liberty, 
they  should  not  be  excluded  from  all  her  blessings.  They  had 
suffered  much  at  Barbadoes,  and  they  expected  a  different 
treatment  in  England ;  but  alas  !  Captain  Shortland  at  once 
dissipated  the  illusion  and  shewed  himself  what  Britons  real- 
ly are.  The  next  morning  they  were  taken  up  to  Captain 
Shortland's  office  to  be  described,  and  marked,  and  number- 
ed. One  of  the  thirty,  an  old  and  respectable  Captain  of  an 
American  ship,  complained  of  his  usage,  and  told  Shortland 
that  he  had  been  several  times  a  prisoner  of  war,  but  never 
experienced  such  barbarous  treatment  before.  The  man  only 
replied  that  their  not  having  their  beds  was  the  fault  of  the 
Turnkey;  as  if  that  could  ever  be  admitted  as  an  excuse 
among  military  men.  \gj=>  For  a  minute  description  of  Dart- 
moor Prison  see  tJie  engraving.] 

Dartmoor  is  a  dreary  spot  of  itself;  it  is  rendered  more 
so  by  the  westlerly  winds  blowing  from  the  Atlantic  ocean, 
which  have  the  aame  quality  and  effects  as  the  easterly  wind, 
blowing  from  the  same  ocean,  are  known  to  have  in  Nevv- 
England.  This  high  land  receives  the  sea  mist  and  fogs ; 
and  they  settle  on  our  skins  with  a  deadly  dampness. 
Here  reigns,  more  than  two  thirds  of  the  year,  "  the  Scotch 
mist"  which  is  famous  to  a  proverb.  This  moor  affords  noth- 
ing for  subsistence  or  pleasure.  Rabbits  cannot  live  on  it. 
Birds  fly  from  it;  and  it  is  inhabited,  according  to  the  belief 
of  the  most  vulgar,  by  ghosts  and  daemons ;  to  which  will 
now  doubtless  be  added,  the  troubled  ghosts  of  the  murdered 
American  prisoners ;  and  hereafter  will  be  distinctly  seen  the 
tormented  spirit  of  the  bloody  Capt.  Shortland,  clanking  his 
chains,  weeping,  wailing  and  gnashing  his  teeth  1  His  a  fact 
that  the  market  people  have  not  sufficient  courage  to  pass 
this  moor  in  the  night.  They  are  always  sure  to  leave 
Priacetown  by  day  light,  not  having  the  resolution  of  pass- 
ing this  dreary,  barren,  and  heaven-abandoned  spot  in  the 


JOURNAL.  "'\ 

ilavk.  Before  the  bloody  massacre  of  our  countrymen,  this 
unhallowed  spot  was  believed,  by  common  superstition,  to 
belong  to  the  Devil. 

Certain  it  is,  that  the  common  people  in  this  neighbour- 
hood were  impressed  with  the  notion  that  Dartmoor  was  a 
place  less  desirable  to  mortals,  and  more  under  the  influence 
of  evil  spirits,  than  any  other  spot  in  England.  I  shall  only- 
say,  that  I  found  it,  take  it  all  in  all,  a  less  disagreeable  pri- 
son than  the  ships;  the  life  of  a  prudent,  industrious,  well 
behaved  man  might  here  be  rendered  pretty  easy,  for  a  prison 
life,  as  was  the  case  with  some  of  our  own  countrymen,  and 
some  Frenchmen;  but  the  young,  the  idle,  the  giddy,  fun 
making  youth  generally  reaped  such  fruit  as  he  sowed. 
Gambling  was  the  wide  inlet  to  vice  and  disorder;  and  in 
this  Frenchmen  took  the  lead.  These  men  would  play  away 
every  thing  they  possessed  beyond  the  clothes  to  keep  them 
decent.  They  have  been  known  to  game  away  a  month's 
provision;  and  when  they  had  lost  it,  would  shirk  arid  steal 
for  a  month  after  for  their  subsistence.  A  man  with  some 
money  in  his  pocket  might  live  pretty  well  through  the  day 
in  Dartmoor  Prison  ;  there  being  shops  and  stalls  where 
every  little  article  could  be  obtained ;  but  added  to  this  we 
had  a  good  and  constant  market ;  and  the  bread  and  meat 
supplied  by  government  were  not  bad;  and  as  good  I  presume 
as  that  given  to  British  prisoners  by  our  own  government ; 
had  our  lodging  and  prison-house  been  equal  to  our  food,  I  ne- 
ver should  have  complained.  The  establishment  was  bless- 
ed with  a  good  man  for  a  physician,  named  M'Grath,  an 
Irishman,  a  t nil,  lean  gent!eman,  with  one  eye,  but  of  a  warm 
and  good  heart.  We  never  shall  cease  to  admire  his  disposi- 
tion, nor  forget  his  humanity. 

The  Frenchmen  and  our  prisoners  did  not  agree  very  well. 
They  quareiled  and  sometimes  fought*  and  they  carried  their 
differences  to  that  length,  that  it  was  deemed  proper  to  erect 
a  wall  to  separate  them,  like  so  many  game  cocks,  in  differ- 
ent yards.  When  this  Depot  was  garrisoned  by  Highland- 
ers, these  Scotchmen  took  part  with  the  Americans  against 
the  French.  Here  the  old  presbyterian  principle  of  affinity 
operated  against  the  papal  man  of  sin.  It  cannot  be  denied 
that  there"  is  a  deep  rooted  hatred  between  the  Briton  and 
the  Frenchman. 

While  at  Dartmoor  Prison,  there  came  certain  French  of- 
fierr*  wearing  the  white  cockade;  their  object  seemed  to  be 


JOURNAL. 


to  converse  with  the  prisoners,  and  to  persuade  them  to  de* 
dare  for  Louis  18th;  but  they  could  not  prevail;  the  French- 
men shouted  vive  VEmpereur!  Their  attachment  to  Bona- 
parte was  remarkably  strong.  He  must  have  been  a  man 
of  wonderful  powers  to  attach  all  ranks  so  strongly  to  him. 
Before  the  officers  left  the  place,  these  Frenchmen  hoisted  up 
a  little  dog  with  the  white  cockade  tied  under  his  tail,  -:oon 
after  this  the  French  officers,  who  appeared  to  be  men  of  some 
consideration,  left  the  prison. 

I  have  myself  had  nothing  particular  to  complain  of;  but 
the  prisoners  here  speak  of  Captain  Shortland  as  the  most 
detestable  of  men;  and  they  bestow  on  him  the  vilest  and 
most  abusive  epithets.  The  prisoners  began  to  dig  a  hole 
under  prison  No.  6,  and  had  made  considerable  progress 
towards  the  outer  wall,  when  a  man,  who  came  from  New- 
bury  port  betrayed  them  to  Capt.  Shortland.  This  man  had, 
it  was  said,  changed  his  name  in  America,  on  account  of  for- 
gery.— Be  that  as  it  may,  he  was  sick  at  Chatham  where  we 
|>aid  him  every  attention,  and  subscribed  money  for  procur- 
ing him  the  means  of  comfort.  Shortland  gave  him  two 
guineas,  and  sent  him  to  Ireland ;  or  the  prisoners  would  have 
banged  him  for  a  traitor  to  his  countrymen.  The  hypocritical 
scoundrel's  excuse  was  conscience  and  humanity ;  for  he 
told  Shortland  that  we  intended  to  murder  him,  and  every 
one  else  in  the  neighbourhood.  Shortland  said  he  knew 
better  ;  that  "  he  was  fearful  of  our  escaping,  but  never  had 
"  any  apprehensions  of  personal  injury  from  an  American; 
"•  that  they  delighted  in  plaguing  him  and  contriving  the 
?i  means  of  escape;  but  he  never  saw  a  cruel  or  murderous 
u  disposition  in  any  of  them." 

The  instant  Capt.  Shortland  discovered  the  attempt  to 
escape  by  digging  a  subterraneous  passage,  he  drove  all  the 
prisoners  into  the  yard  of  No.  1,  making  them  take  their  bag- 
gage with  them  ;  and  in  a  few  days  after,  when  he  thought 
they  might  have  begun  another  hole,  but  had  not  time  to 
complete  it,  he  moved  them  into  another  yard  and  prison,  and 
so  he  kept  moving  them  from  one  prison  to  the  other,  and 
took  great  credit  to  himself  for  his  contrivance;  and  in  this 
way  he  harrassed  our  poor  fellows  until  the  day  before  our 
arrival  at  the  prison.  He  had  said  that  he  was  resolved  not 
to  suffer  them  to  remain  in  the  same  building  and  j'ard  more 
than  ten  days  at  a  time ;  and  this  was  a  hardship  they  re- 
solved not  voluntarily  to  endure;  for  the  removal  of  ham 


JOURNAL.  150     ' 

mocks  and  furniture  and  every  little  article,  was  an  intolera- 
ble grievance;  and  the  more  the  prisoners  appeared  pester- 
ed, the  greater  was  the  enjoyment  of  Captain  Short  land.  It 
was  observed  that  whenever,  in  these  removals,  there  were 
much  jamming  and  squeezing  and  contentions  for  places,  it 
gave  this  man  pleasure  ;  but  that  the  ease  and  comfort  of  the 
prisoners  gave  him  pain.  The  united  opinion  of  the  prison- 
ers was,  that  he  was  a  very  bad  hearted  man.  He  would  oft- 
en stand  on  the  military  walk,  or  in  the  market  square,  when- 
ever there  was  ray  lifference,  or  tumult,  and  enjoy  the 
scene  with  malicious  satisfaction.  He  appeared  to  delight 
in  exposing  prisoners  in  rainy  weather,  without  sufficient 
reason.  This  has  sent  many  of  our  poor  fel!owrs  to  the 
grave,  and  would  have  sent  more  had  it  not  been  for  the  be- 
nevolence and  skill  of  Dr.  M'Grath.  We  thought  Miller 
and  Osmore  skilled  in  tormenting  ;  but  Shortland  exceeded 
them  both  oy  a  devilish  deal.  The  prisoners  related  to  me 
several  instances  of  cool  and  deliberate  acts  of  torment,  dis- 
graceful to  a  government  of  Christians ;  for  the  character 
and  general  conduct  of  this  commander  could  not  be  con- 
cealed from  them.  He  wore  the  British  colours  on  his 
house,  and  acted  under  this  emblem  of  sovereignty. 

It  was  customary  to  count  over  the  prisoners  twice  a 
week  ;  and  after  the  sweepers  had  brushed  out  the  prisons, 
the  guard  would  send  to  inform  the  commander  that  they 
wrere  all  ready  for  his  inspection.  On  these  occasions,  Short- 
land  very  seldom  omitted  staying  away  as  long  as  he  possi- 
bly could,  merely  to  vex  the  prisoners ;  and  they  at  length 
expressed  their  sense  of  it ;  for  he  would  keep  them  stand- 
ing until  they  were  weary.  At  last  they  determined  not  to 
submit  to  it ;  and  after  waiting  a  sufficient  time,  they  made 
a  simultaneous  rush  forward,  and  so  forced  their  passage  back 
into  their  prison-house.  To  punish  this  act,  Shortland  stop- 
ped the  country  people  from  coming  into  market  for  two 
days.  At  this  juncture  we  arrived;  and  as  the  increase  of 
numbers,  increased  our  obstinacy,  the  Captain  began  to  re- 
lax; and  after  that,  he  came  to  inspect  the  prisoners,  as  soon 
as  they  were  paraded  for  that  purpose.  It  was  easy  to  per- 
ceive that  the  prisoners  had,  in  a  great  measure,  conquered 
the  hard  hearted,  and  vindictive  Capt.  Shortland. 

The  roof  of  the  prison  to  which  we  were  consigned,  was 
very  leaky;  and  it  rained  on  this  dreary  mountain  almost 
continually;  place  our  beds  wherever  we  could,  they  were 


lt>0  JOURNAL. 

generally  wet.  We  represented  this  to  Capf.  Shortland ; 
and  to  our  complaint  was  added  that  of  the  worthy  and  hu- 
mane Dr.  M'Grath ;  but  it  produced  no  effect ;  so  that  to  the 
ordinary  miseries  of  a  prison,  we,  for  a  long  time  endured 
the  additional  one  of  w'et  lodgings,  which  sent  many  of  our 
countrymen  to  their  graves. 

We  owe  much  to  the  humanity  of  Dr.  M'Grath,  a  very 
worthy  man,  and  a  native  of  Ireland.  Was  M'Grath  com- 
mander of  this  Depot,  there  would  be  no  difficulty  with  the 
prisoners.  They  would  obey  him  through  affection  and  res- 
pect 5  because  he  considers  us  rational  beings,  with  minds 
cultivated  like  his  own,  and  susceptible  of  gratitude,  and 
habituated  to  do,  and  receive  acts  of  kindness ;  whereas  the 
great  Ca'pt.  Shortland  considers  us  all  as  a  base  set  of  men, 
degraded  below  the  rank  of  Englishmen,  towards  whom 
nothing  but  rigor  should  be  extended.  He  acted  on  this 
false  idea  ;  and  has  like  his  superiors  reaped  the  bitter  fruit 
of  his  own  ill  judged  conduct.  He  might,  by  kind  and  re- 
spectful usage,  have  led  the  Americans  to  any  thing  just  and 
honorable;  but  it  was  not  in  his  power,  nor  all  the  Captains 
in  his  nation,  to  force  them  to  acknowledge  and  quietly  sub- 
mit to  his  tyranny. 

Dr.  M'Grath  was  a  very  worthy  man,  and  every  prisoner 
loved  him ;  but  M'Farlane,  his  assistant,  a  Scotchman,  was 
the  reverse ;  in  dressing,  or  bleeding,  or  in  any  operation,  he 
would  handle  a  prisoner  with  a  brutal  roughness,  that  con- 
veyed the  idea  that  he  was  giving  way  to  the  feelings  of  re- 
venge, or  national  hatred.*  Cannot  a  Scotchman  testify 

*  Lest  some  might  suspect  that  I  have  recorded  this  rough  treat- 
ment of  the  sick  by  an  individual,  as  casting  unjustly  a  reflection  on 
many,  I  shall  here  subjoin  a  passage  from  a  Journal  of  a  tour  and  re- 
sidence in  Great  Britain  during  the  years  1810  and  1811  by  a  French 
Traveller — a  very  popular  work  in  England  and  much  commended 
by  the  Reviews  there.  The  reader  will  perceive  that  he  is  much  se- 
verer than  we  are.  "  I  have  beers  carried,  says  the  Traveller,  to  one 
of  the  Hospitals  of  this  great  town,  supported  by  voluntary  contribu- 
tions. I  shall  relate  what  I  saw.  The  physician  seated  at  a  table  in 
a  large  hall  on  the  ground  floor,  with  a  register  before  him  ordered  the 
doors  to  be  opened  ;  a  crowd  of  miserable  objects,  women,  pushed  in, 
and  ranged  themselves  along  the  wall ;  he  looked  into  his  book,  and 
called  them  to  him  successively — Such  a  one  !  The  poor  wretch  leav- 
ing he  i  wall,  crowded  to  the  table.  u  How  is  your  catarrh  ?*" — tfc  Picas-? 
your  honour,  no  offence,  I  hope,  it  is  the  Asthma."  I  have  no  rest 
night  and  day,  and" — Ah,  so  it  is  the  Asthma  ;  it  i.s  somebody  cLe 
,,  the  Catarrh.  Well  you  have  been  ordered  to  tak:',  £c.— 


JOURNAL.  Itm 

Ms  unnatural  loyally  to  the  present  reigning  family  of  Eng- 
land without  treating  an  American  with  cruelty  and  con- 
tempt. 

Dr.  Dobson,  the  superintendant  physician  of  the  Hospital- 
ship  at  Chatham,  was  a  very  worthy  and  very  skilful  gentle- 
man. We,  Americans,  ought  never  to  forget  his  goodness 
towards  us.  Some  of  us  esteem  him  full  as  high  as  Dr, 
M'Grath,  and  some  more  highly.  They  are  both  however, 
worthy  men,  and  deserve  well  of  this  country.  There  is  noth- 
ing men  vary  more  in  than  in  their  opinion  of  and  attachment 
to  physicians.  Dobson  and  M'Grath  deserve  medals  of  gold, 
and  hearts  of  gratitude,  for  their  kind  attention  to  us  all. 

Yes,  Sir,  but  1  grow  worse  and  worse,  and" — That  is  nothing,  you 
must  go  on  with  it.  u  But  Sir,  indeed,  I  cannot."  Enough,  enough, 
good  woman,  I  cannot  listen  to  you  any  more  ;  many  patients  to  get 
through  this  morning — never  do  to  hear  them  talk  —go  and  take  your 
draught. — The  Catarrh  woman  made  way  for  a  long  train  of  victims 
of  corruption,  cases  of  fever,  dropsy,  scrofula,  and  some  disorders  pe- 
culiar to  women,  detailed  without  any  ceremony  before  young  stu- 
dents. This  melancholy  review  of  human  infirmities  Avas  suddenly 
interrupted  by  the  unexpected  entrance  of  a  surgeon,  followed  by  se- 
veral young  men,  carrying  a  piece  of  bloody  flesh  on  a  dish.  u  Ji 
curious  case,"  they  exclaim  eel,  placing  the  dish  on  the  table  ;  "an  os- 
sification of  the  lungs ! — Such  a  one,  who  died  yesterday — just  open- 
ed. This  is  the  state  of  his  lungs. — See  these  white  needles,  like  fit-h 
bones,  shooting  through  here  and  there  ;  most  curious  indeed." — 
Then  they  handled,  and  cut  open,  and  held  up  between  the  eye  and 
the  light,  these  almost  palpitating  remains  of  an  human  creature  who 
breathed  yesterday.  The  symptoms  of  his  disorder,  and  the  circum- 
stances of  his  death,  were  freely  talked  over,  and  accurately  describ- 
ed in  the  hearing  of  the  consumptive  patients,  \vho  felt,  I  dare  say, 
the  bony  needles  pricking  their  own  lungs  at  every  breath  they  drew, 
and  seemed  to  hear  their  OAvn  sentence  of  death  pronounced. 

The  women  being  despatched,  20  or  30  male  spectres  came  in,  and 
underwent  the  same  sort  of  summary  examination.  The  only  case  I 
recollect  Avas  that  of  a  roan  attacked  with  violent  palpitations,  ac- 
companied Avith  great  pain  in  the  shoulders.  His  heart  was  felt  beat- 
ing hard  through  the  sternum,  or  even  under  the  ribs  on  the  right  side. 
"  His  heart  has  moved  from  its  place  !"  The  unhappy  man  thrown 
back  on  an  arm  chair — his  breast  uncovered — pale  as  death — fixed 
his  fearful  eye?  on  the  physicians,  who  successively  came  to  feel  the 
pulsations  of  the  breast,  and  reason  on  the  cause.  They  seemed  to 
me  to  agree  among  themselves,  that  the  heart  had  been  pushed  on  one 
side,  by  the  augmentation  of  the  bulk  of  the  viscera  ;  and  that  the 
action  '»f  the  Aorta  was  impeded  thereby.  The  case  excited  much 
attention,  but  no  great  appearance  of  compassion.  They  reasoned 
long  on  the  cause,  without  adverting  to  the  remedy  till  after  the  pa- 

14 


JOURNAL. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


The  establishment  of  prison-ships  at  Chatham  is  broken 
up,  ami  the  last  of  the  prisoners  were  marched  from  Ply- 
mouth to  this  place,  the  30th  of  November.  They  were 
marched  from  that  place  to  this,  in  one  day,  half  leg  deep 
in  mud.  Some  lost  their  shoes ;  others,  to  preserve  them, 
took  them  off,  and  carried  them  in  their  hands.  When  they 
arrived  here,  they  were  indeed  objects  of  pity  ;  neverthe- 
less they  were  immediately  shut  up  in  a  cold,  damp  prison, 
without  any  bedding,  or  any  of  the  ordinary  conveniences, 
until  they  could  be  examined  and  described  in  the  comman- 
der's books ;  after  which  they  were  permitted  to  mix  with 
the  rest  of  their  countrymen.  We  found  many  of  them,  the 
day  after  their  arrival,  unable  to  walk,  by  reason  of  their 
too  long  protracted  march,  in  a  very  bad  road.  A  prudent 
drover  would  not  have  risked  his  cattle  by  driving  them 
through  such  a  road  in  a  few  hours.  Such  a  thing  never  was 
done  in  America,  with  British  prisoners. 

I  find  all  the  prisoners  here  deeply  exasperated  against 
Captain  Shortland,  and  too  much  prejudiced  to  hear  any 
thing  in  his  favor.  I  presume  they  have  reason  for  it.  As 
I  have  but  just  arrived,  I  have  had  but  little  opportunity  of 
seeing  and  judging  his  conduct.  Instead  of  his  being  a  bad 
hearted  man,  1  am  disposed  to  believe  that  the  fault  is  in  his 
understanding  and  education.  I  suspect  that  he  is  a  man 

tient  had  departed,  when  he  was  called  back  from  the  door,  and 
cupping  prescribed ! 

The  medical  men  next  proceeded  to  visit  the  resident  patients  t 
followed.  The  apartments  were  clean  and  spacious,  and  the  sick  not 
crowded,  which  is  no  doubt  of  the  greatest  importance.  I  was  shock- 
ed, however,  with  the  same  appearance  of  insensibility  and  precipita- 
tion. 

J.cr  le  long  de  zes  lils  on  gemit  le  malheur, 
Ficfimes  des  secours  plus  que  de  la  douleur, 
ISignorance  en  couranl  fait  sa  ronde  homicidf, 
LI  indifference  observe  tt  le  hazard  decide. 

These  are  the  sentiments  and  feelings  of  a  sensible  French  gentl-- 
man  who  had  resided  20  years  in  the  U.  S.  and  whose  journal  of'his 
Travels  through  England'  has  been  highly  praised  by  the  Br'-tish  Re- 
viewers for  its  liberality,  candor,  justness  and  good  sense.  ••  By  thr 
mouth  of  two  witnesses  all  things  shall  be  established."' 


JOURNAL. 

of  narrow  views  ;  that  he  has  not  sufficient  information,  or 
capacity,  to  form  a  right  judgment  of  the  peculiar  cast  and 
character  of  the  people  under  his  charge.  He  has  never, 
perhaps,  considered,  that  these  descendants  of  Englishmen, 
the  free  inhabitants  of  the  new  world,  have  been  born  and 
brought  up  in,  if  we  may  speak  so,  Indian  freedom;  on  which 
freedom  has  been  superinduced  an  education  purely  demo- 
cratic, in  schools  where  degrading  punishments  are  un- 
known; where  if  a  schoolmaster  exercised  the  severity 
common  in  English  and  German  schools,  they  would  tie  the 
master's  hands  with  his  own  bell-rope.  He  has  never  consi- 
dered that  our  potent  militia  choose  their  own  officers ;  and 
that  the  people  choose  all  their  officers  and  leaders  from  a- 
mong  themselves ;  and  that  there  are  very  few  men  indeed, 
none,  perhaps,  in  New-England,  who  would  refuse  to  shake 
hands  with  a  decent  yeoman.  It  is  probable  that  Captain 
Shortland  has  never  once  reflected  that  there  are  fewer 
grades  of  men  between  the  lowest  white  man  under  his 
charge  and  the  highest  in  America,  than  there  are  between 
him  and  the  highest  ranks  in  England.  He  has  never  con- 
sidered the  similarity  between  the  ancient  Roman  republi- 
can, and  the  republican  of  the  United  States  of  Ameriea  ; 
nor  why  both  republics  deemed  it  abhorrent  to  inflict  stripes 
on  their  citizens.  Shortland  had  not  sufficient  sagacity  to 
discover  that  playfulness,  fun  and  frolic,  formed  a  strong 
trait  in  the  character  of  the  American  sailor  and  militia 
man,  for  they  had  hardly  become,  what  is  called  in  Europe, 
soldiers ;  drilling  and  discipline  had  not  obliterated  the  free 
and  easy  carnage  of  a  bold  and  fearless  Yankee. 

Sir  Guy  Carlton,  afterwards  Lord  Dorchester,  was  Gov- 
ernor of  Canada,  during  the  revolutionary  war,  and  proved 
himself  a  wise  man.  He  penetrated  the  American  charac- 
ter, and  treated  the  American  prisoners  captured  in  Canada, 
accordingly  ;  and  by  doing  so,  he  eame  near  breaking  up 
our  army ;  for  our  prisoners  were  softened  and  subdued  by 
his  kindness  and  humanity ;  he  sent  them  home  well  cloth- 
ed, and  well  fed,  and  most  of  them  declared  they  never  would 
fight  against  Sir  Guy  Carlton.  He  knew  the  American 
character  thoroughly  ;  and  was  convinced  that  harshness  and 
severity  would  have  no  other  effect  than  to  excite  revenge 
and  hatred.  On  the  other  hand,  our  prisoners  could  have  no 
very  great  respect  for  a  captain, an  officer,  which  they  them- 
selves created  by  their  votes,  at  pleasure  ;  add  to  this,  that 


JOURNAL. 


several  of  the  prisoners  had  the  title  of  captain  in  their  own 
country.  Had  the  commander  of  Dartmoor  Prison  been  an 
old  woman,  the  Americans  would  have  respected  her  sex 
and  years,  and  obeyed  her  commands  ;  but  they  despised 
and  hated  Shortland,  for  his  deficiency  of  head,  heart,  and 
education  ;  from  all  which  originated  those  sad  events  which 
have  disgraced  one  nation,  and  exasperated  the  other  for- 
ever. Shortland  may  be  excused,  when  it  is  considered 
that  England  lost  her  colonies  by  not  studying  the  Ameri- 
can character;  and  the  same  inattention  to  "the  natural  ope- 
rations of  the  human  heart,  is  now  raising  America  gradu- 
ally up  to  be  the  first  naval  power  on  the  terraqueous  Tiobe. 
And  thus  much  for  contempt. 

There  was  an  order  that  all  lights  should  he  put  out  by 
eight  o'clock  at  night,  in  every  prison  ;  and  it  was  doubtless 
proper ;  but  this  order  was  carried  into  execution  with  a  ri- 
gor bordering  on  barbarity,  On  the  least  glimpse  of  light 
discoverable  in  the  prison,  the  guard  would  fire  in  amongst 
us;  and  several  were  shot.  Several  Frenchmen  were  wound- 
ed. This  story  was  told— that  a  French  captain  of  a  priva- 
teer, the  night  after  he  first  came,  was  undressing  himself,  by 
his  hammock,  when  the  sentry  cried,  "  Out  UghtsF  The 
Frenchman  not  understanding  English,  kept  it  burning ;  the 
sentry  fired,  and  scattered  his  brains  over  the  place ;  but 
this  did  not  occur  while  I  was  there  ;  but  this  I  aver,  that 
several  were  shot,  and  I  wondered  that  many  were  not  kil- 
led. I  was  shocked  at  the  barbarity  of  the  order. 

About  this  time,  the  Derbyshire  militia  were  relieved  by 
a  regiment  of  regulars,  who  had  been  in  Spain.  They  were 
chiefly  Irish ;  and  treated  us  better  than  we  were  treated  by 
the  militia.  They  had  infinitely  more  generosity  and  man- 
liness, as  well  as  more  intelligence.  They  acte*d  plays  in 
the  cock  loft  of  No.  5.  They  have  good  music,  and' tole- 
rable scenery  ;  and  charge  six  pence  for  admission,  to  defray 
the  expense.  This  is  a  very  pleasant  way  of  making  the 
British  soldier  forget  his  slavery ;  and  the  American  prisoner 
his  bondage.  These  generous  hearted  Irishmen  would  some- 
times give  us  a  song  in  honour  of  our  naval  victories.  O, 
how  we  did  long  to  be  at  liberty,  when  we  heard  songs  hi 
honour  of  the  Constitution  and  of  the  United  States  I* 
Some  men  are  about  to  be  sent  off  to  Dartmouth,  to 


T*v<>  eefebrated  American  Fri<ru<:««. 


JOURNAL.  1 

lurn  to  the  United  States ;  this  has  occasioned  us  to  write 
letters  to  our  friends  and  connexions  ;  but  Captain  Short- 
land  is  very  jealous  on  this  head  ;  he  will  not  allow  us  to 
write  to  any  of  the  neighbouring  country  people.  The  Eng- 
lish dare  not  trust  their  own  people,  much  more  the  Ameri- 
can captives. 

This  is  the  latter  part  of  the  month  of  November  ;  and 
the  weather  has  been  generally  rainy,  dark,  dismal  and  fog- 
gy. Sometimes  we  could  hardly  see  the  sentinels  on  the 
walls.  Sorrow  and  sadness  within  ;  gloom,  fog,  or  drizzly 
rain  without.  If  the  commissioners  at  Ghent  do  not  soon 
make  peace,  or  establish  an  exchange,  we  shall  be  lost  to 
our  country,  and  to  hope.  The  newspapers  now  and  then 
enliven  us  with  the  prospect  of  peace.  We  are  told  that 
growing  dissentions  at  Vienna  will  induce  Great  Britain  to 
get  rid  of  her  transatlantic  enemy,  in  order  to  combat  those 
nearer  home.  Whenever  we  see  in  the  newspapers  an  ar- 
ticle captioned  "  News  from  Ghent"  we  devour  it  with  our 
eyes;  but  instead  of  substance,  generally  find  it  empty 
wind.  We  are  wearied  out.  I  speak  for  myself;  and  I 
hear  the  same  expression  from  others.  Winter  is  commencing 
to  add  to  our  miseries.  Poor  clothing,  miserable  lodging, 
poor,  and  inadequate  food,  long  dismal  nights,  darkness,  foul 
air,  bad  smells,  the  groans  of  the  sick,  and  distressed ;  the 
execrations  and  curses  of  the  half  distracted  prisoner,  the 
unfeeling  conduct  of  our  keepers  and  commander — all,  all, 
all  conspire  to  fill  up  the  cup  of  our  sorrow ;  but  we  hope 
that  one  drop  will  not  be  added  after  it  is  brim  full ;  for  then 
it  will  run  over,  and  death  will  follow ! 

December.  Nothing  new,  or  strange,  worth  recording; 
every  day,  and  every  night  brings  the  same  sad  picture,  the 
same  heart  sinking  impressions.  Until  now,  I  could  not  be- 
lieve that  misfortune  and  confinement,  with  a  deprivation  of 
the  accustomed  food,  ease  and  liberty  enjoyed  in  our  own 
clear  country,  could  have  wrought  such  a  change  in  the  hu- 
man person.  The  young  have  not  only  acquired  wrinkles, 
but  appear  dried  up,  and  contracted  in  body  and  mind.  I 
can  easily  conceive  that  a  few  generations  of  the  human 
species,  passed  in  such  misery  and  confinement,  would  pro- 
duce a  race  of  beings,  very  inferior  to  what  we  now  are* 
The  sailor,  however,  suffers  less  in  appearance  than  we 
landsmen ;  for  my  short  cruise  in  a  privateer,  does  not  en- 
title me  to  the  name  of  a  sailor.  How  often  have  I  reflect* 
14* 


JOURNAL, 


ed  on  my  rash  adventure!  To  leave  the  house  of  plenfy. 
surrounded  with  every  thing  comfortable,  merely  to  chanse 
the  scene,  and  see  the  watery  world.  To  quit  my  pater- 
nal roof,  half  educated,  to  dress  wounds,  and  cut  "off  the 
limbs  of  those  who  might  be  mutilated,  was  about  as  in.ul  a 
scheme  as  ever  giddy  youth  engaged  in.  Bui  repining  will  d«» 
no  good.  I  must  not  despair,  but  make  the  best  of  my  hard 
lot.  if  I  have  lost  a  portion  of  ordinary  education,  I  have 
passed  the  severer  school  of  misfortune  ;  and  should  I  live 
to  return  to  America,  I  must  strive  to  turn  these  hardships 
to  the  best  advantage.  He  who  has  not  met  adversity,  has* 
Hot  seen  the  most  proft table  part  of  hummi  life. 

There  were  times,  during  my  captivity,  especially  in  the 
]ong  and  cheerless  nights,  when  home,  and  all  its  endear- 
ments, rushed  on  my  mind  ;  and  when  I  reflected  on  my 
then  situation,  I  hurst  into  tears,  and  wept  aloud.  It  war* 
then  I  was  fe'arful  that  I  should  lose  my  reason,  and  never 
recover  it.  Many  a  time  have  I  thought  myself  into  a  fe- 
ver, my  tongue  covered  with  a  furr,  and  my  brain  seemed 
burning  up  within  my  skull.  It  was  company  that  preserv 
rd  me.  Had  I  been  alone,  I  should  have  been  raving  dis- 
tracted. I  had  committed  no  crime  ;  I  was  in  tbe  service 
of  niy  country,  in  a  just  and  necessary  war,  declared  by  the 
people  of  the  UNITED  STATES,  through  their  representatives 
ia  Cengr£S$9  and  proclaimed  to  the  world  by  our  supreme 
executive  officer,  James  Madison.  On  this  subject,  I  can- 
not help  remarking  the  ignorance  of  the  people  of  England, 
}n  their  newspapers,  and  in  their  conversation,  you  wiiicon- 
slr.rtlly  find  this  idea  held  up,  that  the  war  was  the  work  of 
Mr.  Madison  and  Bonaparte.  This  shows  their  ignorance 
of  the  affairs  of  our  country.  They  are  too  ignorant  to 
talk  with  on  the  constitution  of  our  government ;  and  on 
the  character  and  conduct  of  our  administration.  It  is  no 
wonder  that  they  are  astonished  at  our  victories,  by  sea  and 
by  land,  when  they  are  so  totally  ignorant  of  our  country, 
of  its  endless  resources,  of  its  invincible  republican  spirit,  of 
its  strong  government,  founded  on  the  affections  of  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  of  the  vigor,  and  all  commanding  intellect  that 
pervades  and  directs  the  whole. 

On  the  28th  of  this  month,  December,  1815,  the  news  ar- 
lived  here  that  a  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  the  24th  ia- 
*t;mt,  at  Ghent.  After  a  momentary  stupor,  acclamations 
*f  joy  .burst  forth  ten  every  mouth,  it  fiew  like  wild  firc 


JOURNAL. 

through  the  prison ;  and  peace  !  peace  !  peace !  echoed 
throughout  these  dreary  regions.  To  know  that  we  were 
soon  to  return  home,  produced  a  sensation  of  joy  beyond  the 
powers  of  expression  !  Some  screamed,  hollowed,  danced, 
sung,  and  capered,  like  so  many  Frenchmen.  Others  stood 
in  amaze,  with  their  hands  in  their  pockets,  as  if  doubtful  of 
its  truth.  In  by  for  the  greater  part,  however,  it  gave  a 
glow  of  health  and  animation  to  the  wan  cheek  of  the  half 
sick,  and,  hitherto,  cheerless  prisoner.  Some  unforgiving 
spirits  hail  the  joyful  event  as  bringing  them  nearer  the  pe- 
riod of  revenge,  which  they  longed  to  exercise  on  some  of 
their  tyrannical  Keepers.  Many  who  had  meditated  es- 
cape, and  had  hoarded  up  every  penny  for  that,  event,  now 
brought  it  forth  to  spend  in  celebration  of  their  regular  de- 
liverance. Even  hard  hearted  Shortland  appeared  to  bend 
frum  the  haughty  severity  of  his  jailor-like  manner,  and  can 
now  speak  to  an  American  as  if  he  were  of  the  same  species 
with  himself.  He  has  even  allowed  us  to  hoist  our  national 
colors  on  these  prisons  ;  and  appears  not  to  be  offended  at 
the  sound  of  mirth  and  hilarity,  which  now  echoes  through- 
out these  extensive  mansions.  I  -say  extensive,  for  I  sup- 
pose the  whole  of  these  prisons,  yards,  hospitals,  stores  and 
houses,  are  spread  over  twenty  acres  of  ground.  [Sec  the 
plate.] 

We  calculate  that  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  will  arrive  in  England  by  the 
1st  of  April,  at  which  period  there  will  not  be  an  American 
left  in  this  place.  The  very  thoughts  of  it  keep  us  from 
sleeping.  Amidst  this  joy  for  peace,  and  for  the  near  pros- 
pect of  our  seeing,  once  more,  our  dear  America,  there  is  not 
a  man  among  us  but  feels  disposed  to  try  again  the  tug  of 
war  with  the  Britons,  should  they  impress  and  flog  our  sea- 
men, or  instigate  the  savages  of  the  wilderness  to  scalp  and 
tomahawk  the  inhabitants  of  our  frontiers.  This  war,  ami 
this  harsh  imprisonment,  will  add  vigor  to  our  arms,  should 
the  people  of  America  again  declare,  by  their  representa- 
tives in  congress,  that  individual  oppression,  or  the  nation's 
wrongs,  render  it  expedient  to  sail,  or  march  against  a  foe, 
whose  tender  mercies  are  cruelty.  We  can  tell  our  country- 
men, when  we  return  home,  what  the  Britons  are,  as  their 
prisoners  can  tell  the  English  what  the  Americans  are. — 
^  By  their  fruits  shall  ye  know  them" 

We  invite  our  readers  to  peruse  the  historical  journal 


• 


Y  .}  GUHNAL. 

ef  the  campaigns  of  1759,  by  Capt.  Knox,  where  ihc  imrooi1- 
tal  Wolfe  cut  such  a  glorious  figure  in  burning  the  iiouses, 
and  plundering  the  wretched  peasantry  of  Canada.  He  says, 
**  The  detachments  of  regulars  and  rangers,  under  Major 
Scott  and  Captain  Goreham,  who  went  down  the  river  oil 
the  1st  instant,  are  returned.  They  took  a  great  quantity 
of  black  cattle  and  sheep  ;  an  immense  deal  of  plunder,  such 
as  household  stuffy  bocks  and  apparel,  burnt  above  eleven  hun- 
dred houses,  and  destroyed  several  hundred  acres  of  corn, 
beside  some  fisheries,  and  made  sixty  prisoners  ;" — and  this 
just  before  winter!  Have  we,  Americans,  ever  been  guilty 
of  such  deeds  ?  Yet  we,  Yankees,  have  been  taught  from 
our  childhood  to  eulogize  Wolfe,  and  Amhcrst,  and  Monde- 
ton,  and  to  speak  in  raptures  of  the  glorious  war  in  1759, 
when  British  soldiers  joined  the  savages  in  scalping  French- 
men ! 

During  this  month,  a  number  of  prisoners  have  been  sent 
to  this  prison  from  Plymouth.  They  came  here  from  Hal- 
ifax ;  they  \vere  principally  seamen,  taken  out  of  prizes, 
which  the  English  retook.  They  all  make  similar  com- 
plaints of  hard  usage,  bad  and  very  scanty  food,  and  no  at- 
tention to  their  health  or  comfort.  There  are  now,  at  this 
depot,  about  Twenty-Three  Hundred  and  Fifty  Americans, 
who  were  impressed,  previously  to  the  war,  into  the  British 
service,  by  English  ships  and  English  press-gangs.  They 
are  the  stoutest  and  most  hardy  looking  men  in  the  prison. 
This  is  easily  accounted  for.  When  the  British  go  on 
board  an  American  merchant  ship  to  look  for  English  sail- 
ors, they  adopt  one  easy  rule,  viz. — they  select  the  stout- 
est, most  hardy,  and  healthy  looking  men,  and  swear  that 
they  are  Englishmen.  After  they  have  selected  one  of 
these  fine  fellows,  it  is  in  vain  that  he  produces  his  protec- 
tion, or  any  other  evidence  of  his  American  birth  and  citi- 
zenship. 

We  learn  from  these  seamen,  that  as  soon  as  conveyed 
on  board  the  British  men  of  war,  they  are  examined  as  to 
the  length  of  time  they  have  been  at  sea  ;  and  according  to 
the  knowledge  and  experience  they  appear  to  have,  they 
are  stationed  ;  and  if  they  grumble  at  the  duty  assigned 
them,  they  are  called  mutinous  rascals,  and  threatened  with 
the  cat ;  the  warrant  officers  are  charged  to  watch  them 
elosely,  lest  they  should  attempt  to  pervert  the  crew,  anil 
to  prevent  them  from  sexxiiog  letters  from  the  ship  to  thefe 


JOURNAL. 

iriends.  Should  any  letters  be  detected  on  them,  the  sail- 
ors are  charged,  on  pain  of  the  severest  punishment,  to  de- 
liver them  to  some  of  the  commissioned  officers. 

If  they  complained  of  their  hard  fate  to  their  messmates, 
they  were  liable  to  punishment,  and  if  they  attempted  to  re- 
gain their  liberty,  and  were  detected,  they  were  stripped, 
tied  up,  and  most  cruelly  and  disgracefully  whipped,  like  a 
negro  siave.  Can  any  thing  be  conceived  more  humiliating 
to  the  feelings  of  men,  born  and  brought  up  as  we  all  are  ? 
Can  we  ever  be  cordial  friends  with  such  a  people,  even  in 
time  of  peace  ?  Will  ever  a  man  of  our  country,  or  his  chil- 
dren after  him,  forgive  this  worse  than  Algerine  treatment  ? 

Several  of  the  most  intelligent  of  these  impressed  men 
related  to  me  the  particulars  of  the  treatment,  they,  at  va- 
rious times,  received ;  and  I  had  committed  them  to  paper ; 
but  they  are  too  mean,  low  and  disgusting  to  be  recorded. 
The  pitiful  evasions,  unworthy  arts,  and  even  falsehoods  of 
some  captains  of  his  Britannic  majesty's  line  of  battle  ships, 
when  a  seaman  produced  his  protection ;  or  offered  to  prove 
his  nativity,  or  identify  his  person,  as  marked  in  his  descrip- 
tive roll,  were  such,  as  to  make  me  bless  my  stars  that  I  did 
not  belong  to  their  service.  There  were,  however,  some 
instances  of  noble  and  generous  conduct;  which  came  up 
to  the  idea  we,  once,  entertained  of  English  honor,  before 
the  solid  bullion  of  the  English  naval  character  was  beaten, 
into  such  thin,  such  very  thin  gold  leaf,  as  to  gild  so  many 
thousands  of  their  epauletted  seamen.  The  officers  of  the 
Poicticrs  were  spoken  of  with  respect ;  and,  by  what  I  could 
learn,  the  smaller  the  vessel,  the  worse  treatment  was  expe- 
rienced by  our  prisoners,  and  impressed  seamen ;  your  Jittle- 
hig-men  being;  always  the  greatest  tyrants.  Among  these 
small  fry  of  the  mistress  of  the  ocean,  '•'•you  damned  Yankee 
rascal?  was  a  common  epithet.  Our  own  land  officers  had 
often  to  remark,  when  they  came  in  contact  with  the  British, 
especially  in  the  night,  as  at  Bridgewater,  and  at  the  re- 
pulse at  Fort  Erie,  that  the  British  colonels  and  other  offi- 
cers, were  heard  repeatedly  to  use  expressions  of  this  sort — 
"  No  quarter  to  the  damned  yankees  /"  "  Form !  Form !  for 
the  damned  yankees  are  close  upon  us!"  Colonel  Drum- 
mend's  test  words,  when  he  surmounted  the  rampart  at  Fort 
Erie,  was  in  the  like  style  of  language.  How  many  lives 
have  these  expressions  of  contempt  cost  the  British! 

Many  of  the  impressed  seamen  now  here,  have  told  me. 


JOURNAL. 

that  they  have  been  lashed  to  the  gang-way,  and  most  se- 
verely whipped,  even  to  the  extent  of  three  dozen,  for  re- 
fusing to  do,  what  the  captain  of  a  British  man  of  war  called 
"  THEIR  DUTY  !"  Some  of  these  men  have  replied,  "  it  is  my 
duty  to  serve  my  own  country ;  and  fight  against  its  ene- 
mies ;"  and  for  saying  so,  have  been  farther  abused.  Have 
ever  the  French,  Spaniards,  Portuguese,  Italians.  Germans, 
Dutch,  Danes,  Swedes,  Russians,  Prussians,  Turks,  or  Al- 
gerines  treated  American  citizens  in  this  way  ?  And  yet 
our  federalists  can  never  bear  to  hear  us  speak,  in  terms  of 
resentment,  against  "  the  bulwark  of  our  religion.1'  O,  Ca- 
leb !  Caleb !  Thou  hast  a  head  and  so  has  a  beetle.* 

We  had  all  more  or  less  money  from  the  American  gov- 
ernment ;  and  some  of  the  impressed  men  brought  money 
with  them.  This  attracted  the  avaricious  spirit  of  our 
neighbors ;  so  that  our  market  was  filled,  not  only  with  ve- 
getables, but  animal  food.  There  were  also  seen  in  our  mar- 
ket, piles  of  broad  cloth,  boxes  of  hats,  boots,  shoes,  and 
many  other  articles.  The  greatest  pick-pockets  of  all  were 
the  Jews,  with  their  watches,  seals  aad  trinkets,  and  bad 
books.  A  moral  commander  would  have  swept  the  prison 
yard  clean  of  such  vermin.  The  women  who  attend  our 
market  are  as  sharp  as  the  Jews,  and  worse  to  deal  with ; 
for  a  sailor  cannot  beat  them  down  as  he  can  one  of  these 
swindling  Israelites.  Milk  is  cheap,,  only  4d.  per  gallon, 
but  they  know  how  to  water  it. 

The  language  and  phraseology  of  these  market  people  are 
very  rude.  When  puffing  off  the  qualities  of  their  goods, 
when  they  talk  very  fast,  we  can  hardly  understand  them. 
They  do  not  speak  near  so  good  English  as  our  common 
market  people  do  in  America.  The  best  of  them  use  the 
pronoun  he  in  a  singular  manner- — as  can  he  pay  me  ?  Can  he  , 
change  ?  For  can  you  pay  me  ?  Orj/ow  change  ?  I  am  ful- 
ly of  opinion  with  those  who  say  that  the  American  people 

•*  When  we  have  read  in  thjq;  American  newspapers,  which  pome- 
times  reached  Dartmoor  prison,  the  speeches  and  proclamations  of  the 
governor  of  Massachusetts1,  some  of  us  have  blushed  at  the  degrada- 
tion of  our  native  state.  That  state  which  once  took  the  lead  in  the 
opposition  to  Britain ;  and  that  Boston,  once  considered  the  cradle  of 
liberty,  has  become  among  us,  a  name  of  reproach.  Such  are  the 
effects  of  an  unprincipled  faction — a  faction  that  are  despised  even 
by  these  Britons,  who  expected  their  assistance  in  dividing  the  Union  5 
and  founding  u  the  kingdom  of 


JOURNAL.  J  71  •'. 

taken  collectively,  as  a  nation,  speak  the  English  language 
with  more  purity  than  the  Britons,  taken  collectively.  Ev- 
erv  man  or  boy  of  every  part  of  the  United  States  would  he 
promptly  understood  by  the  men  of  letters  in  London ;  hut 
every  man  and  boy  of  Old  England  would  not  be  promptly 
understood  by  the  lettered  men  in  the  capital  towns  of  Ame- 
rica. Is  it  not  the  bible  that  has  preserved  the  purity  of 
our  language  in  America  ?  Theae  English  men  and  wo- 
men do  not  speak  with  Ihe  grammatical  correctness  of  our 
people.  As  to  the  Scotch,  their  barbarisms  that  are  to  be 
found  even  in  print,  are  affrontive  to  the  descendants  of  Eng- 
lishmen. Where,  among  the  white  people  of  the  United 
Stales,  ca-n  we  find  such  shocking  barbarities  as  we  hear 
from  the  common  people  of  Scotland  ?  And  yet  we  find 
that  the  Prince  Regent  is  at  the  head  of  an  institution  for 
perpetuating  the  unwritten  language  to  the  highlanders.  We 
shall  expect  to  hear  of  a  similar  wndertakhig,  under  the 
same  patronage,  for  keeping  alive  the  language  of  his  dear 
allies,  the  Kickapoas  and  Pottowottomies !  I  for  the  language 
of  slaves  or  savages,  are  the  needed  props  of  some  of  the 
thrones  in  Europe. 

I  am  sorry  to  remark  lhat  the  Christmas  holy-days  have 
been  recently  marked  with  no  small  degree  of  intoxication, 
and  its  natural  consequence,  quarrelling  among  the  prisoners. 
The  news  of  peace  ;  and  the  expectation  of  being  soon  freed 
from  all  restraint,  have  operated  to  unsettle  the  minds  of  the 
most  unruly,  and  to  encourage  riot.  Drinking,  carousing, 
and  noise,  with  little  foolish  tricks,  are  now  too  common. — 
Some  one  took  off  a  shutter,  or  blind,  from  a  window  of  No. 
6,  and  as  the  persons  were  not  delivered  up  by  the  standing 
committee,  Captain  Shortland  punished  the  whole,  college 
fashion,  by  stopping  the  market,  or  as  this  great  man  was 
pleased  wittily  to  call  it,  an  embargo.  At  length  the  men 
were  given  up  to  Shortland,  who  put  them  in  the  black  hole 
for  ten  days. 

To  be  a  cook  is  the  most  disagreeable  and  dangerous  of- 
fice at  this  depot.  They  are  always  suspected,  watched  and 
hated,  from  an  apprehension  that  they  defraud  the  prisoner 
of  his  just  allowance.  One  was  flogged  the  other  day  for 
skimming  the  fat  off  the  soup.  The  grand  Vizier's  office  at 
Constantinople,  is  not  more  dangerous  than  a  cook's,  at  this 
prison,  where  are  collected  four  or  five  thousand  hungry 
American  sons  of  liberty.  The  prisoners,  take  it  upon 
themselves  to  puaish  these  pot-skiroiners  in  their  own  way. 


.HH'RXAL, 


We  have  in  this  collection  of  prisoners,  a  gang  of  hard- 
fisted  fellows,  who  call  themselves  "  THE  ROUGH  ALLIES.'' 
They  have  assumed  to  themselves  the  office  of  accuser, 
judge  and  executioner.  In  my  opinion,  they  are  as  great 
villains  as  could  he  collected  in  the  United  States.  They 
appear  to  have  little  principle,  and  as  little  humanity,  and 
many  of  them  are  given  up  to  every  vice;  and  yet  these 
ragamuffins  have  been  allowed  to  hold  the  scale  and  rod  of 
justice.  These  rough  allies  make  summary  work  with  the 
accused,  and  seldom  fail  to  drag  him  to  punishment.  I  am 
wearied  out  with  such  lawless  anti- American  conduct. 

January  30*/i.  The  pricipal  conversation  among  the  most 
considerate  is,  when  will  the  treaty  be  returned,  ratified  ;  for 
knowing  the  high  character  of  our  commissioners,  none 
doubt  but  that  the  President  and  Senate  will  ratify,  what 
they  have  approved.  We  are  all  in  an  uneasy,  and  unset- 
tied  state  of  mind  ;  more  so  than  before  the  news  of  peace. 
Before  that  news  arrived,  we  had  settled  down  in  a  degree 
of  despair;  but  now  we  are  preparing  and  planning  our 
peaceable  departure  from  this  loathsome  place. 

I  would  ask  the  reader's  attention  to  the  conduct  of  capt. 
Shortland,  the  commanding  officer  of  this  depot  of  prison- 
ers, as  well  as  to  the  conduct  of  the  men  under  his  charge, 
as  the  conduct  and  events  of  this  period  have  led  on  to  a  tra- 
gedy that  has  filled  our  native  land  with  mourning  and  in- 
dignation. I  shall  aim  at  truth  and  impartiality,  and  the 
reader  may  make  such  allowance  as  our  situation  may  natu- 
rally afford,  and  his  cool  judgment  suggest. 

In  the  month  of  January,  1815,  Captain  Shortland  com- 
menced a  practice  of  counting  over  the  prisoners  out  of  their 
respective  prisons,  in  the  cold,  raw  air  of  the  yard,  where 
we  were  exposed  above  an  hour,  unnecessarily  to  the  sever- 
ity of  the  weather.  After  submitting  to  this  caprice  of  our 
keeper,  for  several  mornings,  in-  hopes  he  would  !>e  satisfied 
as  to  the  accurate  number  of  the  men  in  prison,  we  all  re- 
fused to  go  out  again  in  wet  and  raw  weather.  Shortland  pur- 
sued his  usual  method  of  stopping  the  market ;  but  finding 
that  it  had  no  effect,  he  determined  on  using  force  ;  and  sent 
his  soldiers  into  the  yard,  and  ordered  them  to  drive  the  pri- 
soners into  the  prison  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  whereas 
they  heretofore  remained  out  until  the  sun^had  set,  and  then 
they  all  went  quietly  into  their  dormitories.  The  regiment 
of  regulars  had  been  withdrawn,  and  a  regiment  of  Somer- 


n 

JOURNAL.  173       4P^T 


setshire  militia  had  taken  their  place,  a  set  of  stupid  fellows, 
and  generally  speaking  ignorant  officers.  The  regiment  of  re- 
gulars were  clever  fellows,  and  Shortland  was  awed  by  their 
character;  but  he  felt  no  awe,  or  respect, for  these  irregulars. 

The  prisoners  told  the  soldiers  that  this  was  an  unusual 
time  of  day  for  them  to  leave  the  yard  ;  and  that  they 
would  not  tamely  submit  to  such  caprice.  The  soldiers 
could  only  ans-.ver  by  repealing  their  orders.  More  soldiers 
were  sent  for ;  bat  they  took  special  care  to  assume  a  posi- 
tion to  secure  their  protection.  The  soldiers  began  now  to 
use  force  with  their  bayonets.  All  this  time  Shortland 
stood  on  the  military  walk  with  the  major  of  the  regiment, 
observing  the  progress  of  his  orders.  Our  men  stood  their 
ground.  On  observing  this  opposition,  Shortland  became 
enraged  ;  and  ordered  the  major  to  give  the  word  for  the  sol- 
diers to  fire.  The  soldiers  were  drawn  up  in  a  half  circle, 
to  keep  them  from  scattering. 

We  were  now  hemmed  in  between  No.  7,  and  the  walF, 
that  divided  this  from  the  yard  of  No.  4.  The  rmjor  then 
gave  orders  to  the  officer  in  the  yard,  to  u  charge  bayonet." 
This  did  not  occasion  our  prisoners  to  retreat ;  they  rather 
advanced;  and  same  of  them  told  the  soldiers,  that  if  they 
pricked  a  single  mm,  they  would  disarm  them.  Shortland 
was  watching  all  these  movements  from  behind  the  gate; 
and  finding  that  he  had  not  men  enough  to  drive  them  in, 
drew  his  soldiers  out  of  the  yard.  After  this,  the  prisoners 
went  into  the  prison  of  their  own  accord,  when  the  turnkey 
sounde"d  a  horn. 

These  militia  men  have  been  somewhat  intimidated  by 
the  threatenijigs  of  the  "  rough  allies,"  before  mentioned. 
These  national  guards  thought  they  could  drive  us  about 
like  so  many  Frenchmen;  but  they  have  found  their  mis- 
take. A  man  escaped  from  the  black-hole,  who  had  been 
condermied  to  remain  in  it  during  the  war,  fof  attempting  to 
blow  up  a  ship.  The  prisoners  were  determined  to  protect 
him;  and  when  Shortland  found  that  the  prisoners  would  not 
betray  him  into  his  hands,  he  resorted  to  his  usual  embargo 
of  the  market;  and  sent  his  soldiers  in  after  the  prisoner; 
but  he  might  as  well  have  sought  a  needle  in  a  hay-mow  ; 
for  such  was  the  difficulty  of  finding  an  individual  among 
six  thousand.  They  ransacked  every  birth,  and  lurking 
place,  and  passed  frequently  by  the  man  without  being  abl- 
to  identify  him,  as  our  fellow  had  disguised  himself  both  in 
15 


174  JOURNAL. 

face,  and  in  person.  The  prisoners  mixed  in  so  entirely 
with  the  soldiers,  that  the  latter  could  not  act,  and  were  ac- 
tually fearful  of  being  disarmed.  Wh^n  these  Somerset- 
shire militia  found  that  \ve  were  far  from  being  afraid  of 
them,  they  ceased  to  be  insolent,  and  treated  us  with  some- 
thing like  respect.  There  was  a  considerable  degree  of 
friendship  between  us  and  the  late  regiment  of  regulars,  who 
were  gentlemen,  compared  with  these  clumsy  militia. 

There  are  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  negroes  in  prison 
No.  4 ;  and  this  assemblage  of  blacks  affords  many  curious 
anecdotes,  and  much  matter  for  speculation.  These  blacks 
have  a  ruler  among  them  whom  they  call  king  DICK.  He  is  by 
far  the  largest,  and  1  suspect  the  strongest  man  in  the  prison. 
Jle  is  six  feet  three  inches  in  height,  and  proportionably  large. 
This  black  Hercules  commands  respect,  and  his  subjects 
tremble  in  his  presence.  He  goes  the  rounds  every  day,  and 
visits  every  birth  to  see  if  they  are  all  kept  clean.  When  he 
goes  the  rounds,  he  puts  on  a  large  bear-skin  cap;  and  car- 
ries in  his  hand  a  huge  club.  If  any  of  his  men  are  dirty, 
drunken,  or  grossly  negligent,  he  threatens  them  with  a  beat- 
ing; and  if  they  are  saucy,  they  are  sure  to  receive  one. 
They  have  several  times  conspired  against  him,  and  attempt- 
ed to  dethrone  him ;  but  he  h:is  always  conquered  the  rebels. 
One  night  several  attacked  him  while  asleep  in  his  ham- 
mock; he  sprang  up  and  seized  the  smallest  of  them  by  his 
feet,  and  thumped  another  with  him.  The  poor  negro  who 
had  thus  been  made  a  beetle  of,  was  carried  next  day  to  the 
hospital,  sadly  bruised,  and  provokingly  laughed  at.  This  ru- 
ler of  the  blacks,  this  king  RICHARD  the  lYth,  is  a  man  of 
good  understanding  ;  and  he  exercises  it  to  a  good  purpose. 
If  any  one  of  his  color  cheats,  defrauds,  or  steals  from  hi* 
comrades,  he  is  sure  to  be  punished  for  it.  Negroes  are  ge- 
nerally reputed  to  be  thieves.  Their  faculties  are  common- 
ly found  to  be  inadequate  to  the  comprehension  of  the  mo- 
ral system ;  and  as  to  the  Christian  system,  their  notions  of 
it,  generally  speaking, are  a  burlesque  on  every  thing  serious. 
The  punishment  which  these  blacks  are  disposed  to  inflict 
on  one  another  for  stealing,  partakes  of  barbarity  ;  and  ought 
never  to  be  allowed,  where  the  whites  have  the  controul  of 
them. — By  a  punishment  called  "cobbing"  they  have  occa- 
sioned the  glutseus  muscles  to  mortify. 

Beside  his  majesty  King  Dick,  these  black  prisoners  have, 
among  them  a  Priest,  who  preaches  every  Sunday.  He  »*an 


JOURNAL.  I7fl^ 

read,  and  he  gives  good  advice  to  his  brethren;  and  his 
prayers  are  very  much  in  the  strain  of  what  we  have  been 
used  to  hear  at  home.  In  the  course  of  his  education,  he 
has  learnt,  it  is  said,  to  know  the  nature  of  crimes  and  pun- 
ishments ;  for,  it  is  said,  that  while  on  board  the  Crown 
Prince  prison-ship  at  Chatham,  he  received  a  dozen  lashes 
for  stealing  some  clothing  ;  but  we  must  make  allowance  for 
stories;  for  preachers  have  always  complained  of  the  ca- 
lumnies of  their  enemies.  If  his  whole  history  was  known 
and  correctly  narrated,  he  might  be  found  a  duly  qualified 
preacher,  to  such  a  congregation  as  that  of  prison  No.  4. 

This  black  m  in  has  a  good  deal  of  art  and  cunning,  and 
has  drawn  several  whites  into  his  church;  and  his  perform- 
ances have  an  imposing  cast ;  and  are  often  listened  to  with 
seriousness.  He  appears  to  have  learnt  his  sermons  and 
prayers  from  a  diligent  reading  of  good  books  ;  but  as  to  the 
Christian  system,  the  man  has  no  more  idea  of  it  than  he  has 
of  the  New  Jerusalem  ;  but  then  his  good  sentences,  deliv- 
ered, frequently,  with  great  warmth,  and  his  string  of  good 
advice,  given  in  the  negro  dialect,  make  altogether,  a  novel- 
ty, that  attracts  m  my  to  hoar  him ;  and  he  certainly  is  of 
service  to  the  blacks  ;  and  it  is  a  fact,  that  the  officers  have 
heard  him  hold  tprlb,  without  any  expressions  of  ridicule; 
while  the  majority  of  these  miserable'  black  people  are  too 
much  depraved  to  pay  any  serious  attention  to  his  advice. 

It  is  curious  to  observe  the  natural  alliance  between  king 
Dick  and  this  priest.  Dick  honors  and  protects  him,  while 
the  priest  inculcates  respect  and  obedience  to  this  Richard 
1he  4th.  Here  we  see  the  mtion  of  church  and  state  in  mini- 
ature. Who  told  this  negro  that  to  maintain  this  influence, 
he  must  rally  round  the  huge  club  of  the  strongest  and  most 
powerful  man  in  this  black  gang  of  sinners  ?  And  who  told 
king  Dick  that  his  nervous  arm  and  massy  club,  were  insuf- 
ficient without  the  aid  of  the  preacher  of  terror  ?  Neither  of 
them  had  read,  or  heard  of  Machiavel.  Who  taught  this 
black  orator,  that  the  priesthood  must  seek  shelter  behind 
the  throne,  from  the  hostilities  of  reason?  And  who  told 
"  the  rough  allies,"  the  Janisaries  of  this  imperium  in  impr- 
rlo,  that  they  must  assist  and  countenance  both  Dick  and 
the  priest  ?  The  science  of  government  is  not  so  deep  and 
complicated  a  thing  as  king-craft  and  priest-craft  would 
make  us  believe,  since  these  rude  people,  almost  deserving 
the  name  of  a  banditti,  threw  themselves  into  a  sort  of  gov- 


j*G  JOL'&NAL. 

ernment,  that  is  to  be  discerned  in  the  early  stages  of  eve- 
ry government.  The  love  of  power,  of  influence,  and  of 
distinction,  is  clearly  discernible,  even  among  the  prisoners 
at  Dartmoor.  When  I  think  of  these  things  I  am  disposed 
to  despise  what  is  called  education,  which  is,  after  all,  but  a 
wooden  leg>  a  mere  clumsy,  unfeeling  substitute  for  a  live 
one,  barely  sufficient  to  keep  a  man  out  of  the  mud. 

Beside  king  Dick,  an&Simon,  the  priest,  there  was  another 
black  divine,  named  John.  He  had  been  a  servant  of  Ed- 
ward, Duke  of  Kent,  third  son  of  the  present  king  of  Eng- 
land; on  which  account,  black  John  assumed  no  small  state 
and  dignity.  He  left  the  service  of  his  royal  highness  ;  am 
was  found  on  board  of  an  American  ship,  and  was  pressed 
from  thence  into  a  British  man  of  war,  where  he  served  a 
year  or  two,  in  the  station  of  captain's  steward  ;  but  dislik- 
ing the  service,  he  claimed  his  release,  as  an  American  ; 
and  was  sent  with  a  number  of  other  pressed  men,  to  the 
prison  ships  at.  Chatham  ;  and  he  came  to  this  prison,  with 
a  number  of  other  Africans.  After  king  Dick,  and  Simon, 
the  priest,  black  John  was  the  next  man  of  the  most  conse- 
quence among  the  negroes  ;  and  considering  his  family  con- 
nections ;  and  that  he  knew  how  to  read  and  write,  it  is  not 
much  to  be  wondered  at.  John  conceived  that  his  influence 
with  his  royal  highness  was  sufficient  to  encourage  him  to 
write  to  the  Duke  to  get  him  set  at  liberty  ;  who  actually 
applied  to  the  transport-board  with  that  view ;  but  they 
could  not  grant  it.  He  received,  however,  a  letter  from 
Capt.  Hervy,  the  Duke's  secretary,  on  the  subject,  who  ad- 
ded, that  as  he  had  been  so  unwise  as  to  refuse  to  serve  his 
majesty,  he  must  suffer  for  his  folly.  We  have  been  parti- 
cular in  this  anecdote  ;  and  we  request  our  readers  to  bear 
it  in  mind,  when  we  shall  come  to  contrast  this  prompt  an- 
swer of  the  royal  Duke  to  the  letter  of  a  negro,  with  the 
conduct  of  Mr.  Beasley,  our  agent  for  prisoners.  The  prison- 
ers themselves  noticed  it ;  and  envied  the  negro,  while  they 
execrated  the  haughty,  unfeeling  agent,  who  seldom,  or 
ever  answered  their  letters,  or  took  any  notice  of  their  ap- 
plications. 

The  poor  negro  consoled  himself  for  his  disappointment 
by  turning  Christian ;  and  being  a  pretty  clever  fellow,  and 
having  formerly  belonged  to  the  royal  family,  it  was  consi- 
dered an  act  of  kindness  and  magnanimity,  to  raise  him  to 
the  rank  of  deacon  in  Simon's  church.  Deacon  John  gene- 


JOURNAL,  17^ 

rally  acfs  as  a  privy  counsellor  to  the  king ;  and  is  some- 
times a  judge  in  criminal  cases,  when  his  majesty  allows 
of  one,  which  is  not  very  often  ;  for  he  most  commonly  acts 
in  as  despotic  and  summary  a  manner  as  the  Dcy  of  Algie^ 
himself. 

King  Dick  keeps  a  boxing-school,  where  the  white  men 
are  sometimes  admitted.  No.  4  is  noted,  also,  for  fencing, 
dancing  and  music ;  and,  however  extraordinary  it  may  ap- 
pear, they  teach  these  accomplishments  to  the  white  men. 
A  person,  entering  the  cock-loft  of  No.  4,  would  be  highly 
amused  with  the  droll  scenery  which  it  exhibited  ;  and  if 
his  sense  of  smelling  be  not  too  refined,  may  relish,  for  a 
little  while,  this  strange  assemblage  of  antics.  Here  he  may 
see  boxing,  fencing,  dancing,  raffling,  and  other  modes  of 
gambling;  and  to  this,  we  may  add,  drawing  with  chalk  and 
charcoal;  and  tricks  of  slight-of-hand  ;  and  all  this  to  grati- 
fy the  eye  ;  and  for  the  sense  of  hearing,  he  may  be  regaled 
with  the  sound  of  clarionets,  flutes,  violins,  flagelets,  fifes, 
tambarines,  together  with  the  whooping  and  singing  of  the 
negroes.  On  Sundays  this  den  of  thieves  is  transformed  in* 
to  a  temple  of  worship,  when  Simon,  the  priest,  mounted  on 
a  little  stool,  behind  a  table  covered  with  green  cloth,  pro- 
claims the  wonders  of  creation,  and  salvation  to  the  souls  of 
true  believers ;  and  hell  fire  and  brimstone,  and  weeping,  and 
wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  to  the  hardened  and  impenitent 
sinner,  and  obstinate  rebel  of  proffered  mercy.  As  he  approach- 
es the  end  of  his  discourse,  he  grows  warmer  and  warmer,  and, 
foaming  at  the  mouth,  denounces  all  the  terrors  of  the  law 
against  every  heaven-daring,  God-provoking  sinner.  I  have 
frequently  noticed  the  effect  of  this  black  man's  oratory  up- 
on some  of  his  audience.  I  have  known  him  to  solemnize 
his  whole  audience,  a  few  numskulled  negroes  alone  except- 
ed.  While  he  has  been  thus  thundering  and  lightning,  sul- 
len moans  and  hollow  groans  issue  from  different  parts  of 
the  room ;  a  proof  that  his  zealous  harangue  solemnizes  some 
of  his  hearers ;  while  a  part  of  them  are  making  grimaces, 
or  betraying  marks  of  impatience  ;  but  no  one  dare  be  riot- 
ous ;  as  near  the  preacher  sat  his  majesty  king  Dick,  with 
his  terrible  club,  and  huge  bear-skin  cap.  The  members  of 
the  church  sat  in  a  half  circle  nearest  the  priest ;  while  those 
•who  had  never  passed  over  the  threshold  of  grace,  stood  up 
behind  them. 

A  little  dispute,  if  not  quite  a  schism,  ha^  existed  between 
15* 


,*78  JOURNAL. 

Simon,  the  priest,  and  deacon  John.  The  latter,  wfiife  in 
the  family  of  a  royal  Duke,  had  learned  that  it  was  proper 
to  read  prayers,  already  made,  and  printed  to  their  hands ; 
but  Simon  said,  he  should  make  but  few  converts  if  he  read 
his  prayers.  He  said  that  prayers  ought  to  spring  at  once, 
warm  from  the  heart;  and  that  rca'ding  prayers  was  too  cold 
a  piece  of  work  for  him  or  his  church.  But  John  said,  in  rr- 
p'y,  that  reading  prayers  was  practised  by  his  royal  highness 
the  duke  of  Kent,  ami  all  the  noble  families  in  England,  as 
well  as  on  board  all  his  Britannic  majesty's  ships  of  war.  But 
Simon,  who  had  never  waited  on  royalty,  nor  ever  witnessed 
the  religious  exercises  of  an  English  man  of  war,  would  not 
believe  this  practice  of  the  British  nation  ought  to  have 
weight  with  the  reformed  Christians  of  the  United  States. 
There  was  a  diversity  of  opinion  in  the  black  church;  and 
the  dispute  once  grew  so  warm,  that  Simon  told  John,  that  it 
•was  his  opinion,  that  "  he  who  could  not  pray  to  his  God, 
•without  a  book,  would  be  damned." 

His  majesty  king  Dick  finding  that  this  dispute  might  <pn- 
Uoii^er  the  peace  of  the  church,  and,  possibly,  diminish  wis 
own  influence,  advised  that  the  dispute  should  be  left  to  lie 
decision  of  a  neighboring  methodist  preacher,  who  sometimes 
A  isitecl  the  prison,  in  a  labor  of  love.  The  preacher  came, 
and  heard  patiently,  the  arguments  of  both  sides,  and  finally 
decided,  as  king  Dick  doubtless  foresaw,  in  favor  of  Simon. 
He  said  that  the  reason  why  his  royal  highness  the  duke  of 
Kent,  and  a!I  the  royal  family,  and  all  the  nobility  and  par- 
liament-men read  their  prayers,  was,  because  they  had  not 
time  to  make  them,  each  one  for  himself.  Now  Deacon 
John  was  a  better  reasoner  than  Simon ;  but  Simon  had 
the  most  cant;  and  he,  of  course,  prevailed.  It  is  probable 
that  Jolm  had  concluded,  that  if  he  could  carry  a  vote  for 
reading  prayers,  he,  himself,  would  be  the  reader ;  and  then 
he  should  become  as  conspicuous  as  Simon.  Emulation, 
arid  the  desire  of  distinction,  the  great,  and  indeed  main- 
spring of  this  world,  was  as  apparent  among  these  degraded 
sons  of  Africa,  as  among  any  white  gentlemen  and  ladies  in 
the  land.  John's  ambition,  and  his  envy,  operated  just  like 
the  ambition  and  envy  of  white  people.  At  length,  when 
the  deacon  found  that,  since  the  decision  of  the  methodist, 
his  supporters  deserted  him,  he  made  his  mind  up  to  follow 
the  Current,  and  to  justify  hit?  conduct  by  inculcating  a  spirit 
ef  conciliation  uud  uuiou.  This  shr«\N  u  fellow  knew,  that 


JOURNAL.  *I7^T 

if  he  did  no!  follow  the  current,  he  should  lose  the  privilege 
he  enjoyed  of  sitting  at  the  end  of  the  table,  opposite  to  Si- 
mon ;  and  of  leaning  his  head  on  the  great  bible,  while  Si- 
mon was  preaching  ;  privileges  too  great  to  be  slighted  in 
such  a  church;  and  directly  after  a  religions  dispute. 

Since  I  returned  home,  and  while  transcribing  this  journal 
for  the  press,  I  have  thought  that  the  conduct  of  deacon 
John  was  from  the  self  same  principle  with  that  which  actu- 
ated the  federalists,  since  the  dissolution  and  disgrace  of  the 
Hartford  Convention.  This  faction,  it.  seems,  found  them- 
selves after  the  peace,  and  after  the  battle  of  New  Orleans, 
going  fast  down  the^tream  of  popular  opinion  ;  and  then  it 
was  that  they  preached  up  conciliation,  liberality,  and  un- 
ion ;  then  it  was  they  caught  hold  of  the  skirts  of  the  land 
and  n'tval  heroes;  nay,  they  went  so  f:vr  as  to  hail  Jefferson 
anil  Madison  as  brother  Unitarians  I  In  short,  the  situa- 
tion, of  black  John,  and  the  federalists  of  Massachusetts,  was 
exactly  the  same;  and  their  conduct  in  every  point,  simi- 
lar ;  and  the  leading  federalists  of  Boston  have  been  left, 
•like  the  deacon  of  the  negro  congregation,  in  No.  4,  Dart- 
moor prison,  to  lean  upon  the  great  bible  ;  which  sacred  vol- 
ume these  persons  are  sending  to  all  parts  of  the  world,  not 
being  sufficiently  awake  to  consider  it  will  democratise  other 
parts  of  the  world,  beside  America. 

When  the  British  General  Prescott  commanded  at  Rhode 
Island,  in  the  revolutionary  war,  (the  same  whom  our  Ma- 
jor Barton  stole,  and  carried  off  in  the  night,  from  his  head 
quarters,  in  a  whale  boat)  he  was  very  much  disliked  for  his 
filly  haughtiness,  and  unbecoming  pride.  One  day  a  Bap- 
tist preacher  waited  upon  him  to  complain  of  an  oppression 
exercised  on  some  of  his  followers,  by  the  military,  and  tak- 
ing his  Bible  out  of  his  pocket,  he  began  to  read  a  passage 
which  he  deemed  applicable  to  the  case  ;  on  sight  of  which 
the  General  Hew  into  a  rage,  and  drove  the  preacher,  with 
his  Bible,  out  of  the  room,  saying,  "  if  it  had  not  been  for  that 
a — d  boo!i,  tvc  should  not  have  had  this  rebellion."  Bating 
the  profane  epithet,  we  give  the  angry  Scotchman  credit  for 
}ii»  sagacity.  The  observation  would  not  have  disgraced 
his  countryman,  David  Hume. 

Simon,  the  priest,  enjoyed  one  great  and  envied  privilege, 
which  John  never  pretended  to,  namely,  an  acquaintance 
and  intercourse  with  the  angel  Gabriel.  He  had  many  rev- 
elations from  this  celestial  messenger,  and  related  them  to  kite 


180  JOURNAL. 

church.  They  related  principally  to  the  fate  of  his  fellow 
prisoners ;  one,  in  particular,  he  told  to  his  church  with  awe 
and  solemnity. 

I  saw,  said  he,  a  great  light,  shining;  only  through  the 
grates  of  one  window,  before  the  hour  of  day  break.  I  look* 
ed  up,  and  saw -something  like  a  rmn  with  wings.  I  was  at 
first  frightened,  and  cried  out,  "  tvlio  conies  dare .?"  for  I  could 
not  see  his  face.  Directly  the  bars  of  the  window  beat 
each  way,  and  his  head  and  shoulders  came  in,  when  I 
knew  him  to  be  the  angel  Gabriel.  "  Simon,"  said  he,  "  I 
am  come  to  tell  you  that  this  prison  will  be  sunk  before 
forty  days,  because  its  inhabitants  are  so  wicked,  and  will 
not  repent."  Den  I  tank  him;  and  he  drew  back  his  head 
again  ;  and  the  iron  bars  were  restored  to  their  place  again, 
when  he  spread  out  his  wings,  which  were  covered  with 
ten  thousand  stars,  which  made  a  great  light  when  he  flew 
away.  Such  was  the  method  used,  by  this  artful  black  man, 
to  rouse  his  countrymen  out  of  the  sink  of  vice  ;  and  it  had 
the  desired  effect.  This  prediction  solemnized  several  of 
the  negroes,  and  had  more  or  less  effect  upon  all  of  them. 
They  became  more  liberal  in  their  contributions,  which  en- 
abled Simon  to  purchase  a  new  green  coat.  It  seemed  as  if 
the  most  profligate  of  these  fellows,  had  a  secret  dread  of 
Simon's  prediction,  and  were  willing  to  gctfu  his  favor  by 
contributions^  instead  of  repentance.  Has  not  this  disposi- 
tion founded  churches,  monasteries  and  nunneries  ?  Many 
of  Simon's  church  are  strongly  impressed  with  the  apprehen- 
sion of  the  prison  sinking  within  forty  days. 

These  blacks  have  been  desirous  of  having  their  prison 
the  centre  of  amusement.  They  act  plays  twice  a  week,  an  ! 
as  far  as  close  imitation  of  what  they  have  seen  and  heard, 
and  broad  grimace,  they  are  admirable  ;  but  they  are,  half 
the  time,  ignorant  of  the  meaning  of  the  words  they  utter. — 
The  gate-ways  and  centry-boxes  are  plaistered  over  with 
play-bills,  announcing — OTHELLO,  for  the  first  time,  by  Mr. 
Robinson — DESDEMONA,  by  Mr.  Jones.  I  seldom  failed  to 
attend  these  exhibitions,  and  must  confess  that  1  never  be- 
fore or  since,  or  perhaps  ever  shall  laugh  so  heartily  as  at 
these  troglodyte  dramas.  Their  acting  was  assuredly  the 
most  diverting  beyond  all  comparison,  or  example,  I  ever 
saw.  They  would  cut  so  many  negroish  capers  in  tragedy, 
grin  and  distort  their  countenances  in  such  a  variety  of  in- 
human expressions,  while  they  kept  tbeir  bodies  either  stiff 


JOURNAL.  181 

as  so  many  stakes,  or  in  a  monkeyish  wriggle,  and  ever  and 
nnon  such  a  baboon  stare  at  Desdemona,  whose  face,  neck 
and  hands,  were  covered  with  chalk  and  red  paint,  to  make 
him  look  like  a  beautiful  white  lady — was  altogether,  con- 
sidering that  they  themselves  were  very  serious,  the  most 
ludicrous  exhibition  of  two  legged  ridiculousness  I  ever  wit- 
nessed. In  the  midst  of  my  loud  applauses,  I  could  not, 
when  my  sore  sides  would  allow  me  to  articulate,  help  ex- 
claiming— O  !  Shakespeare  !  Shakespeare  !— O  !  Garrick  ! 
Garrick  ! — what  would  not  I  give  (an  indigent  prisoner) 
could  I  raise  you  from  the  dead,  that  you  might  see  the  black 
consequences  of  your  own  transcendent  geniuses  ! — When 
Garrick  rubbed  himself  over  with  burnt  cork  to  make  him- 
self look  like  a  Moor,  or  with  lamp-black  to  resemble  Mnngo, 
it  did  pretty  well  ;  but  for  a  negro  man  to  cover  his  fore- 
head, neck  and  hands  with  chalk,  and  his  cheeks  with  ver- 
million,  to  rmike  him  look  like  an  English,  or  American 
beauty,  was  too  much.  Had  I  been  going  up  the  ladder  to 
be  hanged,  I  should  have  laughed  at  this  sight ;  for  to  all 
this  outrageous  grimace,  was  added  a  fantastic  habiliment, 
and  an  odour  from  De^demonaand  company,  that  associated 
the  ideas  of  the  skunk  or  the  polecat.  I  presume  that  their 
august  majesties,  the  emperor  and  empress  of  Hayli,  have 
some  means  of  destroying  this  association  of  ideas,  so  revolt- 
ing to  Americans. 

After  all,  this  may  be  in  us  a  disgust  grounded  more  in 
prejudice  than  nature.  What  we  call  delicacy  is  a  refine- 
ment, of  civilization  ;  and  of  course  a  departure  from  nature. 
See  how  the  brutes  enjoy  rolling  and  wallowing  in  what  we 
call  dirt ;  next  to  them,  we  may  observe  the  love  of  what  me 
c;ill  filth  in  savages,  and  of  those  persons  in  our  cities  who 
stand  nearest  to  them.  Extreme  cleanliness  is  the  offspring 
of  riches,  leisure,  luxury,  and  extreme  refinement ;  never- 
theless it  is  true  what  Swift  says,  that  "  persons  with  nice 
minds  have  n:»sty  ideas."  I  suffered  greatly,  and  so  did 
many  of  our  countrymen,  on  our  first  acquaintance  with  filth 
and  vermin  in  this  our  British  captivity.  Many  a  time  have 
I  got  up  from  rny  dinner  as  hungry  as  I  sat  down,  when  dis- 
<i-u.st  has  been  greater  than  appetite.  I  have,  however,  grad- 
ually surmounted  antipathies  I  once  thought  insurmountable. 
I  am  not  the  only  one  who  has  often  retired  from  our  dis- 
gusting repast,  to  my  bunk  or  sleeping  birth,  in  silent  agony, 
there  to  breathe  out  to  my  Maker,  woes  too  great  for  utter- 


JOURNAL, 

ance.     O,  Britain  !  Britain  f  will  there  not  be  a  day  of  re% 
tribution  for  these  ihy  cruelties  ! 

There  are  some  in  this  dismal  prison,  who  have  been 
used  all  their  lives,  not  to  conveniences  only,  hut  to  delica- 
cies; who  are  obliged  to  su-ni't  to  the  disagreeablc-a  of  this 
uncivilized  mode  of  incarcerating  brave  men,  for  one  of  the 
first  of  Grecian,  Roman,  English  and  American  virtues,  the 
love  of  country,  or  p  -itriotivn.  These  unfortunate  rrnn,  with 
minds  far  elevated  beyond  the  officers  who  are  placed  here 
to  guard,  and  to  torment  them,  submit  to  their  confinement 
with  a  better  grace  than  one  could  have  expected.  When 
these  men  have  eaten  their  stinted  ration,  vilely  cooked, 
and  hastily  served  up,  they  return  to  their  hammocks,  or 
sleeping  births,  and  there  try  "  to  steep  their  senses  in  for- 
getfulness,"  until  the  recurrence  of  the  next  disgusting  meal. 
On  the  other  hand,  some  have  said  that  they  never  before 
eat  with  such  a  keen  appetite  ;  and  their  only  complaint  has 
been,  that  there  was  not  one  quarter  enough  for  them  to  de- 
vour. 1  was  often  satisfied  with  a  quantity  of  food  that  was 
not  half  enough  for  my  companions.  Some  have  since  said, 
that  they  devoured  their  daily  allowance  at  Dartmoor,  with 
more  relish  than  they  ever  have  since,  when  set  down  at  ta- 
bles, covered  as  our  American  tables  are,  with  venison, 
poultry,  the  finest  fish,  and  the  best  fruits  of  our  country, 
with  choice  old  cider,  and  good  foreign  wines. 

A  thing  very  disagreeable  to  me,  arose  from  causes  not 
occasioned  by  the  enemy.  I  have  been  squeezed  to  sore- 
ness, by  a  crowd  of  rough,  overbearing  men,  who  oft  times 
appeared  to  be  indifferent  whether  they  trampled  yon  under 
feet  or  not.  The  "  rough  allies?  so  called,  had  no  feeling 
for  men  smaller  and  weaker  than  themselves.  From  this 
gang,  you  could  seldom  get  a  civil  answer.  Their  yells, 
and  whooping,  more  like  savages  than  white  men,  were  very 
troublesome.  The  conduct  of  these,  proved  that  it  was 
natural  for  the  strong  to  tyrannize  over  the  weak.  1  have 
often  thought  that  our  assemblage  of  prisoners,  resembled 
very  much  the  Grecian  and  Roman  democracies,  which 
were  far,  very  far,  beneath  the  just,  rational,  and  wisely 
guarded  democracy  of  our  dear  America,  for  whose  exist- 
ence and  honor  we  are  all  still  heartily  disposed  to  risk  our 
lives,  and  spill  our  blood. 

As  not  allowing  us  prisoners  a  due  and  comfortable  por- 
tion of  clean  food,  is  the  heavy  charge  I  have  to  roak* 


JOURNAL.  183 

ngainst  the  British  nation,  I  shall  here,  once  for  all,  attempt 
to  de-scribe  the  agonies  I  myself  sometimes  feit,  and  observ- 
ed others  to  endure,  from  cravings  of  hunger;  which  are 
kern  sensations  in  young  men,  not  yet  arrived  to  their  full 
growth.  The  hungry  prisoner  is  seen  to  traverse  the  al- 
ley?, backwards  and  forwards,  with  a  gnawing  stomach,  and 
a  haggard  look  ;  «.vhi'e  he  sees  the  fine  white  loaves  on  the 
tables  of  the  bread-seller,  when  all  that  he  possesses  cannot 
buy  a  single  loaf.  I  have  known  many  men  tremble,  and 
become  sick  at  their  stomachs,  at  the  sight  of  bread  they 
could  not  obtain.  Sometimes  a  prisoner  has  put  away  a  por- 
tion of  bis  bread,  ani;  sworn  to  himself  thai  he  would  not 
eat  it  unlit  such  ?m  hour  after  breakiVisi;  he  has,  however, 
gone  to  it,  and  picked  a  few  crumbs  from  it,  and  replaced  it ; 
and  sorntt'mcs  he  could  no  longer  resist  the  grinding  tor- 
>f  1. linger,  i»ut  Devoured  it  with  more  than  canine  ap- 
petite ;  for  it  iiKisi  be  understood  that  the  interval  between 
the  evening  and  morning  rneal  was  the  most  distressing.  An 
healthy,  growing  young  man,  feels  very  uncomfortable  if  he 
fasts  five  hours;  but  to  be  \vithoutfood,  as  we  often  were, 
for  fourteen  hours,  was  a  cruel  neglect,  or  a  barbarous  cus- 
tom. Our  resource  from  hunger  was  sleep  ;  not  but  that 
the  sensations  of  hunger,  and  the  thoughts  of  the  depriva- 
tion, often  prevented  me  from  getting  asleep  ;  and  at  other 
times,  when  wrapt  in  sleep,  1  have  dreamed  of  setting  down 
to  a  table  of  the  most  delicious  food,  and  most  savory  meats, 
and  in  the  greatest  profusion  ;  and  amidst  my  imagined  en- 
joyment, have  waked  in  disappointment,  agony  and  tears. 
Tills  was  the  keenest  misery  1  ever  endured;  and  at  such 
times,  have  I  cursed  the  nation  that  allowed  of  it,  as  being 
more  barbarous  than  Algerines  or  wild  Indians.  The  com- 
parative size  of  the  pieces  of  beef  and  bread  is  watched  with 
a  keen  and  jealous  eye  ;  so  are  even  the  bits  of  turnip  in  our 
soup,  lest  one  should  have  more  than  the  other.  I  have  no- 
ticed more  acts  of  meauntss  and  dishonesty  in  men  of  re- 
spectable character,  in  the  division  and  acquisition  of  the 
articles  of  our  daily  food,  than  in  any  other  transaction 
whatever.  Such  as  they  would  despise,  were  hunger  out  of 
the  question.  The  best  apology  I  can  make  for  the  prac- 
tice of  gaming  is,  the  hope  of  alleviating  this  most  abomina- 
ble system  of  starvation.  Had  we  been  duly  and  properly 
fed,  we  never  should  have  run  so  deeply  into  the  hell  ol 
gambling.  We  did  not  want  money  to  buy  clothing,  or 


184  JOURNAL. 

\vlne,  or  rum,  but  to  buy  beef,  and  bread,  and  milk.  I  repeat 
it,  all  the  irregularities,  and,  finally,  the  horrors  and  death, 
that  occurred  in  a  remarkable  manner,  in  this  den  of  des- 
pair, arose  from  the  British  system  of  scanty  food  for  young 
men,  whose  vigorous  systems,  and  habits  of  being  full  fed, 
demanded  a  third  more  solid  flesh  meat,  than  would  satisfy  a 
potatoe-eating  Irishman,  an  oat-feeding  Scotchman,  or  an 
half  starved  English  manufacturer.  After  we  have  finished 
our  own  dinners  in  New  England,  we  give  to  our  cats  and 
dogs,  and  other  domestic  animals,  more  solid  nourishment, 
the  remnant  of  our  meals,  than  what  we  hail  often  allowed 
us  in  the  ships  and  prisons  of  "  the  world's  last  hope"  Pick- 
ering's* "fast  anchored  isle" 

Among  the  abuses  of  Dartmoor  prison,  was  that  of  allow- 
ing Jews  to  come  among  us  to  buy  clothes,  and  allowing  some 
other  people,  worse  than  Jews,  to  cheat  us  in  the  articles  we 
purchased.  Ho\v  far  our  keepers  went  "  s.uacks"  with  these 
harpies,  we  never  could  know.  We  only  suspected  that  they 
did  not  enjoy  ail  their  swindling  privileges  gratuitously.  Be- 
fore the  immoral  practice  of  gambling  was  introduced  and 
countenanced,  it  was  no  unusual  thing  to  see  men  in  almost 
every  birth,  reading,  or  writing,  or  studying  navigation.  I 
have  noticed  the  progress  of  vice  in  some,  with  pain  and  sur- 
prise. I  have  seen  men,  once  respectable,  give  examples  of 
vice  that  I  cannot  describe,  or  even  name  ;  and  I  am  fearful 
that  some  of  our  young  boys,  may  carry  home  to  their  hither- 
to pure  and  chaste  country,  vices  they  never  had  any  idea  of 
when  they  left  it.  I  believe  Frenchmen,  Italians,  and  Por- 
tuguese, are  much  worse  examples  for  our  youth,  than  Eng- 
lish, Irish,  or  Scotchmen.  I  must  say  of  the  British  that 
they  are  generally  men  cf  better  habits  and  morals  than 
some  of  the  continental  nations.  But  enough,  and  more  than 
enough,  on  the  depravity  of  the  oldest  of  the  European  na- 
tions. 

February  28Jft,  1815. — Time  hangs  heavily  on  the  weary 
and  restless  prisoner.  Ris  hopes  of  liberation,  and  his  anx- 
iety, increase  daily  and  hourly.  The  Favorite !  The  Favor- 
ite, is  in  every  one's  mouth ;  and  every  one  fixes  the  day  of 

*  The  mention  of  this  celebrated  member  of  the  Essex  Junto  bring? 
to  our  mind  a  fact  in  chemistry,  viz.  that  the  best  of  winr,  when  kept 
too  long  in  a  hot  place,  turns  to  the  sharpest  vinegar.  Pickering's 
"fast  anchored  isle,"  is  now  (autumn  of  1816)  entirt-lj  ailoat  iu  an 
•cean  that  deserves  not  the  name  of  pacific. 


' 


JOURNAL.  185 

iter  arrival.  We  have  just  heard  that  she  was  spoken  near  the 
roast  of  America,  by  the  Sultan,  a  British  74,  on  the  2d  of 
February.  If  so,  then  she  must  arrive  in  a  few  days,  with 
the  news  of  the  ratification  or  rejection  of  the  treaty  of 
peace,  by  Mr.  Madison ;  and  on  this  great  event  our  happi- 
ness depends.  Some  of  the  English  merchants  are  so  con- 
fident that  our  President  will  ratify  the  treaty,  that  they  are 
sending  vast  quantities  of  English  manufactures  out  to  Hali- 
fax, to  he  ready  to  thrust  into  the  ports  of  America,  as  soon 
as  we  shall  be  able,  legally,  to  admit  them.  It  is  easy  to  per- 
ceive that  the  English  are  much  more  anxious  to  send  us 
their  productions,  than  we  are  to  receive  them. 

Our  anxiety  increases  every  day.  We  inquire  of  every 
one  the  news.  We  wait  with  impatience  for  the  newspa- 
pers, and  when  we  receive  them  are  disappointed  ;  not  find- 
ing in  them  what  we  wish.  They,  to  besure,  speak  of  the 
sitting  of  the  Vienna  Congress  ;  and  we  have  been  expect- 
ing, every  day,  that  this  political  old  hen  had  hatched  out 
her  various  sort  of  eggs.  We  expected  that  her  motley 
brood  would  afford  us  some  fun.  Here  we  expected  to  see 
a  young  hawk,  and  there  a  goslin,  and  next  a  strutting  tur- 
key, and  then  a  dodo,  a  loon,  an  ostrich,  a  wren,  a  magpie,  a 
cuckoo,  and  a  wag-tail.  But  the  old  continental  hen  has 
now  set  so  long,  that  we  conclude  that  her  eggs  are  addled, 
and  incubation  frustrated.  During  all  this  time,  the  Gal- 
lick  cock  is  on  his  roost  at  Elba,  with  his  head  under  his 
wing. 

We  but  now  and  then  get  a  sight  of  Cobbett's  Political 
Register  ;  and  when  we  do,  we  devour  it,  and  destroy  it, 
before  it  comes  to  the  knowledge  of  our  Ceroebrus.  This 
writer  has  a  manner  stti  generis,  purely  his  own  ;  but  it  is 
somewhat  surprising,  how  he  becomes  so  well  informed  of 
the  actual  state  of  things,  and  of  the  feelings  and  opinions 
of  both  parties  in  our  country.  His  acuteness,  his  wit,  his 
logic,  and  his  surliness,  form,  altogether,  a  curious  portrai- 
ture of  an  English  politician.  We,  now  and  then,  get  sight 
of  American  papers  ;  but  they  are  almost  all  of  them  federal 
papers,  and  contain  matter  more  hostile  to  our  government 
than  the  English  papers.  The  most  detestable  paper  printed 
in  London,  is  called,  "  The  Times ;"  and  that  is  often  thrown 
in  our  way ;  but  even  this  paper  is  not  to  be  compared  to 
the  "  Federal  Republican,"  printed  at  Washington  or  George- 
town, or  to  the  Boston  federal  papers.  When  such  papers 
16 


1BS  JOURNAL. 

account  in  placing  at  the  head  of  their  party  in  Massachu- 
setts, a  man  of  correct  morals  and  manners,  and  of  a  reputed 
religious  cast  of  mind.  But  Mr.  Strong  should  reflect ;  and 
being  a  phlegmatic  man,  he  is  able  to  reflect  calmly,  and 
consider  things  deliberately.  He  should  reflect,  I  say,  on 
the  impression  his  remarkable  conduct  must  have  on  the 
minds  of  his  countrymen,  who  have  risked  their  lives,  and 
are  now  suffering  a  severe  bondage  in  that  great  national 

Cause  Of  "  FREE    TRADE   AND   NO    IMPRESSMENT,"   which  led 

the  American  people  to  declare  war  against. Britain,  by  the 
voice  of  their  representatives,  in  congress  assembled.  How 
str.mge,  and  how  painful  must  it  appear  to  us,  and  to  our 
friends  in  Europe,  that  the  governor  of  a  great  state  should 
lean  more  towards  the  Prince  Regent  of  Britain,  than  to  the 
President  of  the  United  States !  If,  therefore,  we  consider 
Mr.  Strong  as  a  sensible  and  correct  man,  and  a  true  pairioK 
his  conduct  as  governor  of  Massachusetts ^  especially  as  iotJie 
time  of  organizing  a  convention,  of  which  the  English  promised 
themselves  countenance  and  aid,  must  have  appeared  more 
than  strange  to  us  in  captivity. 

If  we  contemplate  the  character  of  the  leading  men  of  that 
party  which  put  into  office,  and  still  support  Governor 
Strong,  and  writh  whom  he  has  co-operated,  we  cannot  clear 
this  gentleman  of  reproach.  Previously  to  our  late  contest 
with  Britain,  it  was  the  unceasing  endeavor  of  the  leaders 
of  the  federal  party  to  bring  into  discredit,  and  contempt, 
the  worthiest  and  best  men  of  the  nation  ;  to  ridicule  and 
degrade  every  thing  American,  or  that  reflected  honor  on 
the  American  Independence.  So  bitter  was  their  animosi- 
ty ;  so  insatiate  their  thirst  for  power,  and  high  places,  that 
they  did  not  hesitate  to  advocate  measures  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  tbeir  grand  object,  which  was  to  get  into  the 
places  of  those  now  in  power.  How  often  have  we  seen  tii" 
party  declaring  in  tlieir  venal  prints,  that  the  American  ad- 
ministration was  base,  and  cowardly,  and  tamely  suffering 
the  out  rages,  abuses  and  contempt  of  the  nations  of  Europe, 
without  possessing  the  spirit  to  resent,  or  the  power  to  rcztei. 
them  ;  and  that  "  we  could  not  be  kicked  into  a  war"  Ytt 
after  the  administration  had  exhausted  every  effort  to  brm^ 
England  to  do  justice,  and  war  was  declared,  these  verj  fed- 
eralists called  the  act  wicked  and  inhuman  ;  and  denounced 
the  President  for  plunging  tlie  country  into  hostilities  with 
the  mistress  of  the  ocean,  the  most  powerful  nation,  of  <'M- 


JOURNAL.  8 

earth  !  They  called  this  act  of  Congress,  "  Madison's  War" 
and  did  every  thing  in  their  power  to  render  that  upright  man 
odious  in  the  eyes  of  the  unthinking  part  of  the  community. 
This  was  not  all ;  these  arrogant  men,  assumed  to  them- 
selves "  all  the  talents"  and  "•  all  tlu  virtues"1  of  the  country, 
used  every  mean  in  their  power  to  paralyze  the  arm  of  gov- 
ernment, and  reduce  the  energies  of  the  nation,  in  the  face 
and  front  of  our  adversary.  By  arguments  and  threats, 
they  induced  the  monied  men  in  Massachusetts,  very  gen- 
erally, to  refuse  loans  of  money  to  government  ;  and  to  ruin 
our  resources.  Did  not  this  party,  detiXfafaated  federalists, 
ej^ult  at  the  disasters  of  our  arms  ;  and  did  they  not  vote  in 
the  Senate  of  Massachusetts,  that  "  it  was  unworthy  a  reli- 
gious and  moral  people,  to  rejoice  at  the  immortal  achieve- 
ments of  our  gallant  seamen  ?"  In  the  midst  of  our  difficul- 
ties, when  this  powerful  enemy  threatened  us  by  sea  and 
land,  with  an  army  force  from  Penobscot,  another  through 
Lake  Champlain,  another  at  the  Chesapeake,  while  nothing 
but  resistance  and  insurgency  was  talked  of  and  hinted  at 
within  !  Did  they  not  in  this  state  of  things,  and  with  these 
circumstances,  did  not  Governor  Strong,  and  the  federal 
party  generally,  seize  hold  of  this  alarming  state  of  our  af- 
fairs, to  call  the  Convention  at  Hartford,  and  that  not  merely 
to  perplex  the  government,  but  to  be  the  organ  of  communi- 
cation between  the  enemy  and  the  malcontents  ?  Did  they 
not  then  talk  loudly  of  our  worm  eaten  Constitution  ;  and  did 
they  not  call  the  Union  "  a  rope  of  sand?  that  could  no  long- 
er hold  together?  If  there  be  a  line  of  transgression,  beyond 
the  bounds  of  forgiveness,  the  leaders  of  that  party,  who  put 
Mr.  Strong  up  for  Governor,  have  attained  it.  These  things 
I  gather  from  the  papers,  and  from  the  history  of  the  day,  as 
I  have  collected  them  since  my  return  home.  And  to  all 
this  must  be  added  the  damning  fact  of  Te  Dcums,  orations, 
toasts,  and  processions  of  the  clergy,  and  the  judges,  with  all 
the  leaders  of  the  federal,  or  opposition  party,  in  celebration 
of  the  success  of  the  Spaniards  in  restoring  the  Inquisition, 
and  recalling  the  reign  of  superstition  and  terror  ;  against 
which  we  have  been  preaching  and  praying  ever  since  the 
first  settlement  of  our  country. 

Our  American  newspapers,  if  they  are  not  so  correctly 
written  as  the  London  papers,  are  informing  and  amusing. — 
They  show  the  enterprize,  the  activity,  and  the  daring 
thoughts  of  a  free  and  an  intrepid  people ;  while  the 


190 

papers  are  filled  with  a  catalogue  of  nobles,  and  nobs. 
who  were  assembled  to  bow,  to  flatter,  to  cringe,  and  to  prink 
at  the  Iev7ee  of  the  Great  Prince  Regent,  the  presumptive' 
George  the  IV  th,  with  now  and  then  some  account  of  hi& 
wandering  wife,  the  Princess  of  Wales.  We  are  there  also 
entertained  with  a  daily  account  of  the  health  and  gestation 
of  Joanna  Scxtncote  ;  for  whose  reputation  and  weli.uv 
"  thinking  Johnny  Bull"  is  vastly  anxious ;  insomuch  that 
were  any  continental  nation  to  run  obstinately  counter  to 
the  popular  opinion  respecting  her,  we  do  deem  it  not  im- 
possible that  the  majority  of  the  nation  might  be  led  to  sign 
addresses  to  the  Prince  to  go  to  war  with  them,  in  honor  of 
Saiat  Joanna!  Their  papers,  likewise,  contain  a  particular 
account  of  the  examination  of  rogues  by  the  Bow-street  offi- 
cers, highway  robberies,  and  executions;  together  with 
quack  puffs,  and  miraculous  cures.  These,  together  witl* 
the  most  glorious  and  unparalleled  bravery  of  their  rjjlc  -.  .-• 
and  seamen,  and  of  their  generate  and  soldiers,  with  the  high- 
est encomiums  on  the  religion,  the  learning,  the  generosity, 
cGnt&itmt'nL  and  happiness  of  the  people  of  Britain  and  Irc- 
fan.'l,  make  up  the  sum  and  substance  of  all  the  London  pa- 
pers, William  CMctCs  alone  excepted ;  and  he  speaks  with 
a  bridle  in  his  mouth  !  -<* 

This  month  (February)  Captain  Shortland  stopped  the 
market  for  six  days,  in  consequence  of  some  unculy  fellows 
taking  away  certain  wooden  stanchions  from  Prison  No.  (5, 
But  the  old  market  women,  conceiving  that  the  Captain  en- 
croached upon  their  copy-hold,  would  not  quietly  submit  to 
it.  They  told  him  that  as  the  men  were  going  away  soon. 
it  was  cruel  to  curtail  their  traffic.  We  always  believed 
that  these  market  women,  and  the  shop  and  stall  keepers^ 
and  Jews,  purchased,  income  way  or  other,  the  unequal  traf- 
fic between  them  and  us.  Be  that  as  it  may,  Shortland 
could  not  resist  the  commercial  interest,  so  that  he,  like  good 
Mr.  Jefferson,  listened  to  the  clamor  of  the  merchants,  and 
raised  the  embargo. 

JNo  sooner  was  quiet  restored,  and  the  old  women  and 
Jews  pacified,  but  a  serious  discontent  arose  among  the 
prisoners,  on  discovering  that  these  Jews,  of  all  complexions, 
had.j-aised  the  price  of  their  articles,  or*  the  idea,  we  sup- 
posed, that  we  should  not  much  longer  remain  the  subjects 
of  their  impositions.  The  rough  allies,  a  sort  of  regulators;. 
TOO  were  too  s touts.  ai*d  racst  GonaaifiEdv  too  iijsolent.  to  M? 


JOURNAL,  "l&f 

£ftveniecl  by  our  regular  and  moderate  committees,  turned 
out  in  a  great  rage,  and  tore  down  several  of  the  small 
shops,  or  stalls,  where  slops  were  exposed  tor  sale.  These 
.fallows-,  at  length,  organized  themselves  into  a  company  of 
plunderers.  I  have  seen  men  run  from  their  sleeping  births', 
in  which  they  spent  nearly  their  whole  time,  and  plunder 
these  little  shop  keepers,  and  carry  the  articles  they  plunder- 
ed, and  secrete  them  in  their  beds.  These  mobs,  or  gangs 
of  robbers,  were  a  scandal  to  the  American  character  ;  and 
strongly  reprobated  by  every  man  of  honor  in  the  prisons. 
Some  of  these  little  British  merchants  found  themselves 
stripped  of  all  they  possessed  in  a  few  minutes,  on  the  charge 
of  exorbitant  prices.  We  never  rested,  nor  allowed  these 
culprits  to  rest,  until  we  saw  the  cat  laid  well  on  their  backs. 
These  plunderings  were  in  consequence  of  informers,  and 
there  was  no  name,  not  even  that  of  a  federalist,  was  so 
odious  with  all  the  prisoners,  as  that  of  an  informer.  We 
never  tailed  to  punish  an  informer.  Nothing  but  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  a  man,  (who  was  sixty  years  old)  prevented 
.him  from  being  whipped  for  informing  Captain  Shortland  of 
what  the  old  man  considered  an  injury,  and  for  which  he 
put  the  man  accused,  into  the  black  hole.  An  informer,  a 
traitor,  and  an  avowed  federalist,  were  objects  of  detesta- 
tion at  Dartmoor. 

During  the  time  that  passed  between  the  news  of  peace,, 
and  that  of  its  ratification,  an  uneasy  and  mob-like  disposi- 
tion, more  than  once  betrayed  itself.  Three  impressed 
American  seamen  had  been  sent  in  here  from  a  British  ship 
of  war,  since  the  peace.  They  were  on  board  the  Pelican, 
in  the  action  with  the  American  ship  Argns,  when  fell  our 
brave  Captain  Allen.  One  day,  when  all  three  were  a  lit- 
tle intoxicated,  they  boasted  of  the  feats  they  performed, 
ia  fighting  against  their  own  countrymen  ;  and  even  boast- 
ed of  the  prize  money  they  had  shared  for  capturing  the  Ar- 
gus. This  our  prisoners  could  not  endure;  and  it  soon 
reached  the  ears  of  the  rough  allies,  who  seized  them,  and 
kicked  and  cuffed  them  about  unmercifully ;  and  they  took 
one  of  them,  who  had  talked  more  imprudently  than  the 
pest,  and  led  him  to  the  lamp  iron  that  projected  from  one 
i>f  the  prisocs,  and  would,  in  all  probability,  have  hanged 
him  thereon,  had  not  Shortland  rescued  him  by  an  armed 
force.  They  had  fixed  a  paper  on  the  fellow's  breast,  on 
nvhicii  was  written,  in  large  letters,  a  Traitor  and  a  FederqUjL 


190 

papers  are  filled  with  a  catalogue  of  nobles,  and  nobiV 
who  were  assembled  to  bow,  to  flatter,  to  cringe,  and  to  prink 
at  the  levee  of  the  Great  Prince  Regent,  the  presumptive' 
George  the  IVth,  with  now  and  then  some  account  of  b>: 
wandering  wife,  the  Princess  of  Wales.  We  are  there  also- 
entertained  with  a  daily  account  of  the  health  and  gestation 
of  Joanna  Southcole  ;  for  whose  reputation  and  weSi'.tre, 
**  thinking  Johnny  Bull"  is  vastly  anxious  ;  insomuch  that 
were  any  continental  nation  to  run  obstinately  counter  to 
the  popular  opinion  respecting  her,  we  do  deem  it  not  im- 
possible that  the  majority  of  the  nation  might  be  led  to  sign 
addresses  to  the  Prince  to  go  to  war  with  them,  in  honor  of 
Saiat  Joanna!  Their  papers,  likewise,  contain  a  particular 
account  of  the  examination  of  rogues  by  the  Bow-street  offi- 
cers, highway  robberies,  and  executions;  together  with 
quack  puffs,  and  miraculous  cures.  These,  together  witl* 
the  most  glorious  and  unparalleled  bravery  of  their  cffli  •  .  -:; 
ft:id  seamen,  and  of  their  generals  and  soldiers,  with  the  high- 
est encomiums  on  the  religion,  the  learning,  the  generosity, 


and  happiness  of  the  people  of  Britain  and  Ire- 
7,  trmke  up  the  sum  and  substance  of  all  the  London  pa- 
pers, William  Cobbctfs  alone  exccpted  ;  and  he  speaks  with 
a  bridle  in  his  mouth  !  >» 

This  month  (February)  Captain  Shortland  stopped  the 
market  fur  six  days,  in  consequence  of  some  unruly  fellows 
taking  away  certain  wooden  stanchions  from  Prison  No.  6. 
Bat  the  old  market  women,  conceiving  that  the  Captain  en- 
croached upon  their  copy-hold,  would  not  quietly  submit  to 
it.  They  told  him  that  as  the  men  were  going  away  soon. 
it  was  cruel  to  curtail  their  traffic.  We  always  believed 
that  these  market  women,  and  the  shop  and  stall  keepers-* 
and  Jews,  purchased,  imsome  way  or  other,  the  unequal  traf- 
fic between  them  and  us.  Ee  that  as  it  may,  Shortiand 
could  not  resist  the  commercial  interest,  so  that  he,  likegoodi 
Mr.  Jefferson,  listened  to  the  clamor  of  the  merchants,  and 
laised  the  embargo. 

No  sooner  was  quiet  restored,  and  the  old  women  and 
Jews  pacified,  but  a  serious  discontent  arose  among  the 
prisoners,  on  discovering  that  these  Jews,  of  all  complexions, 
hadjraised  the  price  of  their  articles,  on  the  idea,  we  sup- 
posed, that  we  should  not  much  longer  remain  ihe  su1 
of  their  impositions.  The  rough,  allies,  a  sort  of  regulators, 
were  too  sloutv  aini  racat  soaousoeBJ  too  iijsolent.  to  b*.- 


JOURNAL, 

by  our  regular  and  moderate  committees,  turned 
out  in  a  great  rage,  and  tore  down  several  of  the  small 
shops,  or  stalls,  where  slops  were  exposed  Cor  sale.  These 
fellows,  at  length,  organized  themselves  into  a  company  of 
plunderers.  I  have  seen  men  run  from  their  sleeping  births', 
in  which  they  spent  nearly  their  whole  time,  and  plunder 
these  little  shop  keepers,  and  carry  the  articles  they  plunder- 
ed, and  secrete  them  in  their  beds.  These  mobs,  or  gangs 
of  robbers,  were  a  scandal  to  the  American  character  ;  and 
strongly  reprobated  by  every  man  of  honor  in  the  prisons. 
Home  of  these  little  British  merchants  found  themselves 
stripped  of  all  they  possessed  in  a  few  minutes,  on  the  charge 
of  exorbitant  prices.  We  never  rested,  nor  allowed  these 
culprits  to  rest,  until  we  saw  the  cat  laid  well  on  their  backs. 
These  plunderings  were  in  consequence  of  informers,  and 
there  was  no  name,  not  even  that  of  a  federalist,  was  so 
odious  with  all  the  prisoners,  as  that  of  an  informer.  We 
never  failed  to  punish  an  informer.  Nothing  but  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  a  man,  (who  was  sixty  years  old)  prevented 
him  from  being  whipped  for  informing  Captain  Shortland  of 
what  the  old  man  considered  an  injury,  and  for  which  he 
put  the  man  accused,  into  the  black  hole.  An  informer,  a 
traitor,  and  an  avowed  federalist,  were  objects  of  detesta- 
tion at  Dartmoor. 

During  the  time  that  passed  between  the  news  of  peace,, 
and  that  of  its  ratification,  an  uneasy  and  mob-like  disposi- 
tion, more  than  once  betrayed  itself.  Three  impressed 
American  seamen  had  been  sent  in  here  from  a  British  ship 
of  war,  since  the  peace.  They  were  on  board  the  Pelican, 
In  the  action  with  the  American  ship  Argus,  when  fell  our 
brave  Captain  Allen.  One  day,  when  all  three  were  a  lit- 
tle intoxicated,  they  boasted  of  the  feats  they  performed, 
in  fighting  against  their  own  countrymen  ;  and  even  boast- 
ed of  the  prize  money  they  had  shared  for  capturing  the  Ar- 
gus. This  our  prisoners  could  not  endure ;  and  it  soon 
readied  the  ears  of  the  rough  allies,  who  seized  them,  and 
kicked  and  cuffed  them  about  unmercifully ;  and  they  took 
one  of  them,  who  had  talked  more  imprudently  than  the 
jest,  and  led  him  to  the  lamp  iron  that  projected  from  one 
*>f  the  prisons,  and  would,  in  all  probability,  have  hanged 
him  thereon,  had  not  Shortland  rescued  him  by  an  armed 
force.  They  had  fixed  a  paper  on  the  fellow's  breast,  on 
which  was  written,  in  large  letters,  a  Traitor  and  a  Federalist. 


•I 


.92  JOURNAL. 

It  may  seem  strange  to  some,  but  I  am  confident  that 
there  is  no  class  of  people  among  us  more  strongly  attach- 
ed to  the  American  soil,  than  our  seamen,  who  are  float- 
ing about  the  world,  and  seldom  tread  on  the  ground.  The 
saiior  who  roams  about  the  world,  marks  the  difference  of 
treatment,  and  exults  in  the  superior  advantages  of  his  coun- 
trymen. The  American  custom  of  allowing  on  board  mer- 
chant ships  the  common  sailors  to  traffic  a  little  in  adven- 
tures, enlarges  their  views,  makes  them  think  and  enquire, 
and  excites  an  interest  in  the  sales  of  the  whole  cargo.  The 
common  sailor  here  feels  a  sort  of  unity  of  interest;  and  he 
is  habituated  to  feel  as  a  member  of  the  floating  store-house 
which  he  is  navigating.  It  is  doubtful  wheiher  the  British 
sailor  feels  any  thing  of  this. 

I  have  had  occasion  often  to  remark  on  the  tyrannical 
conduct,  and  unfeeling  behaviour  of  Captain  Shortland,  but 
he  had  for  it  the  excuse  of  an  enemy  ;  but  the  neglect  of  Mr. 
Beasley,  with  his  supercilious  behaviour  towards  his  coun- 
trymen here  confined,  admits  of  no  excuse.  He  was  bound 
to  assist  us  and  befriend  us,  and  to  listen  to  our  reasonable 
complaints.  When  negro  John  wrote  to  his  Royal  Highness 
the  Duke  of  Kent,  son  of  king  George  the  3d,  and  brother  of 
the  Prince  Regent,  he  received  an  answer  in  terms  of  kind- 
ness and  reason  ;  but  Mr.  Beasley,  who  was  paid  by  our  gov- 
ernment for  being  our  agent,  ^and  official  friend,  never  con- 
descended to  answer  our  letters,  and  if  they  ever  were  notic- 
ed, it  was  in  the  .style  of  reproof—  His  conduct  is  here  con- 
demned by  six  thousand  of  his  countrymen  ;  and  as  many 
curses  are  daily  uttered  on  him  in  this  prison.  It  is  almost 
treason  in  this  our  dismal  Commonwealth,  ©r  rather  com- 
mon misery,  to  speak  in  his  favour.  If  Shortland  and  Beas- 
ley were  both  drowning,  and  one  only  could  be  taken  out  by 
the  prisoners  of  Dartmoor,  I  believe  in  my  soul,  that  that  one 
would  be  Shortland  ;  for,  as  I  said  before,  he  has  the  excuse 
of  an  enemy. 

The  prisoners  have  been  long  determined  to  testify  their 
feelings  towards  Mr.  Beasley,  before  they  left  Dartmoor; 
and  the  time  for  it  has  arrived.  The  most  ingenious  of  our 
countrymen  are  ROW  making  a  figure  resemblance,  or  effigy 
of  this  distinguished  personage.  One  has  contributed  a  coat, 
another  pantaloons,  another  a  shirt-bosom  or  frill,  another  a 
stuflfed-out-cravat  ;  and  so  they  have  made  up  a  pretty  gen- 
teel, haughty-looking-gentleman-agent,  with  heart  and  brain? 


JOURNAL. 


full  equal,  they  think,  to  the  person  whom  they  wish  to  re- 
present. They  called  this  figure  Mr.  B  -  .  They 
then  brought  him  to  trial.  lie  was  indicted  for  many  crimes 
towards  them,  anil  towards  the  character  of  the  United  States. 
The  jury  declared  him  to  be  guilty  of  each  and  every  charge  ; 
and  he  was  sentenced  by  an  unanimous  decree  of  his  judges, 
to  be  hanged  by  the  neck  until  he  was  dead,  and  after  that  to 
he  burnt.  They  proceeded  with  him  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, which  was  from  the  roof  of  prison  No.  7,  where  a  pole 
was  rigged  out,  to  which  was  attached  an  halter.  After  si- 
lence was  proclaimed,  the  halter  was  fastened  round  the  neck 
of  the  effigy  ;  and  then  a  solemn  pause  ensued  ;  which  ap- 
parent solemnity  was  befitting  the  character  of  men  who 
were  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  the  punishment  of  the 
guilty,  while  they  felt  for  the  sufferings  and  shame  of  a  fel- 
low mortal.  After  hanging  the  proper  time,  the  hangman, 
who  was  a  negro,  cut  him  down  ;  and  then  the  rough  allies 
took  possession  of  him,  and  conducted  him  to  a  convenient 
spot  in  the  yard,  where  they  burnt  him  to  ashes.  This  was 
not,  like  the  plunder  of  the  shop-keepers,  the  conduct  of  aa 
infuriate  mob  ;  but  it  was  begun  and  carried  through  by  some 
of  the  steadiest  men  within  the  walls  of  Dartmoor  prison.  — 
They  said  they  had  no  other  way  of  testifying  their  contempt 
of  a  man,  who  they  supposed  had  injured  them  all,  and  dis- 
graced their  country.  Such  was  the  fact;  as  to  the  justness 
of  their  charges,  I  have  nothing  to  say.  I  hope  Mr.  B.  cau 
vindicate  his  conduct  to  the  world  ;  and  I  hope  this  publica- 
tion may  lead  to  a  thing  so  much  wished  for.  The  accusa- 
tions of  the  multitude  are  commonly  well  founded,  but  often 
too  high  coloured.  If  this  gentleman  has  never  been  cen- 
sured by  our  government,  we  may  conclude  that  he  has  not 
been  quite  so  faulty  as  has  been  represented. 

During  all  this  solemn  farce,  poor  Shortland  looked  like  a 
culprit  under  sentence  o!  death.  Some  of  the  rogues  had 
written,  with  chalk,  on  the  walls,  BE  YOU  ALSO  READY  !  — 
This  commander's  situation  could  not  be  an  enviable  one. 
He  was,  probably,  as  courageous  a  man  as  the  ordinary  run 
of  British  officers;  but  it  was  plainly  discoverable  that  he 
was,  half  his  time,  in  dread,  and  during  the  scene  just  des- 
cribed, in  terror,  which  was  perceivable  amidst  his  affected 
smiles,  and  assumed  gaiety.  He  told  a  gentleman,  belonging 
to  this  depot,  that  he  never  saw,  nor  ever  read,  or  heard  of 
siK-h  a  set  of  Devil-tlaring,  God-provoking  fellows.,  as  these 


194 


JOLRXAL.' 


same  Yankees.  And  he  added,  I  had  rather  have  the  charge  of 
Jive  thousand  Frenchmen,  than  FIVE  HUNDRED  of  these  sons  of 
liberty ;  and  yet,  said  he,  I  love  the  dogs  better  than  I  do  the 
damn'd  frog-caters. 

On  the  30th  of  March  we  received  the  heart-cheering 
news  of  the  total  defeat  of  the  British  army  before  NEW- 
ORLEANS,  with  the  death  of  its  commander  in  chief,  Sir 
Edward  Pakenham,  and  Generals  Gibs  and  Kcan,  with  a  great 
number  of  other  officers,  and  about  five  thousand  rank  and 
file  killed  and  wounded;  and  what  appeared  to  be  absolute- 
ly incredible,  this  unexampled  slaughter  of  the  enemy  was 
achieved  with  the  loss  of  less  than  twenty  killed  and  wound- 
ed on  our  side.  Instead  of  shouting  and  rejoicing,  as  in  or- 
dinary victories,  we  seemed  mute  with  astonishment.  Yes ! 
when  we  saw  the  Englishmen  walking  with  folded  arms, 
looking  down  on  the  ground,  we  had  not  the  heart  to  exult, 
especially  as  th£  war  wa& now  ended.  I  speak  for  myself — 
there  was  no  event  that  tended  so  much  to  reconciliation 
and  forgiveness  as  this  immense  slaughter  of  the  English. 
We  felt  that  this  victory  was  too  bloody  not  to  siifle  loud  ex- 
ultation. 

We  had  heard  of  Generals  Dearborn,  Brown,  Scott,  Rip- 
ley,  Gaines  and  Miller,  but  no  one  knew  who  General 
Andrew  Jackson  was ;  but  we  said  that  it  was  a  New-Eng- 
land name,  and  we  had  no  doubt  but  he  was  a  full  blooded 
yankee,  there  being  many  of  that  name  in  New-Hampshire, 
Massachusetts,  Vermont,  Rhode-Island  and  Connecticut. — 
But  I  have  since  heard  that  he  was  a  village  lawyer  in  Ten- 
nessee, and  a  native  of  South  Carolina. 

The  more  particulars  we  hear  of  this  extraordinary  victo- 
ry, the  more  we  were  astonished.  We  cannot  be  too  grate- 
ful to  Heaven  for  allowing  us,  a  people  of  yesterday,  to  wind 
up  the  war  with  the  great  and  terrible  nation,  the  mistress  of 
the  ocean,  in  a  manner  and  style  that  will  inspire  respect 
from  the  present  and  future  race  of  men.  Nothing  now  is 
thought  of  or  talked  of,  but  New-Orleans  and  Jackson,  and 
Jackson  and  New-Orleans.  We  already  perceive  that  we 
are  treated  with  more  respect,  and  our  country  spoken  of  in 
honorable  terms.  The  language  now  is  "  we  are  all  one  and 
"  the  same  people.  You  have  all  English  blood  in  your 
"  veins,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  you  fight  bravely !"  Some- 
times they  have  uttered  the  slang  of  "  The  Times?  and  cast 
reflections  on  the  government,  and  on  President  ~ 


cNAL.  19  J 

but  we  have  always  resented  it,  nor  do  we  ever  allow  any 
one  to  speak  disrespectfully  of  our  illustrious  chief  magistrate. 

About  the  middle  of  the  present  month,  (March)  we  re- 
ceived the  news  of  the  landing  of  Napoleon  in  France,  while 
every  one  here  supposed  him  snug  at  Elba.  The  news  came 
to  England,  and  passed  through  it  like  thunder  and  lightning, 
carrying  with  it  astonishment  and  dismay.  But  as  much  as 
they  dread,  and  of  course  hate  Bonaparte,  the  British  cannot 
but  admire  his  fortune  and  his  glory.  There  are  a  number 
of  Frenchmen  yet  here ;  and  it  is  impossible  for  man  to 
shew  more  joy  at  this  news  from  France.  They  collected 
together  and  snouted  Vive  FEmpereur  !  and  the  yankees  join- 
ed them,  with  huzza  for  Bonaparte;  and  this  we  kept  up  in- 
cessantly, to  plague  the  British.  The  English  bear  any  thing 
from  us  with  more  patience,  than  our  expressions  of  affection 
for  the  Emperor  Napoleon.  Now  the  fact  is,  we  care  no 
more  for  the  French,  than  they  do  for  us ;  and  there  is  but 
little  love  between  us;  yet  we  pretend  great  respect  and  af- 
fection for  that  nation,  and  their  chief,  principally  to  torment 
overbearing  surly  John  Bull,  who  thinks  that  we  ought  to 
love  nobody  but  him,  while  he  himself  never  does  any  thing 
to  inspire  that  love. 

About  the  20th  of  Ihis  month,  we  received  the  heart  cheer- 
ing tidings  of  the  RATIFICATION  OF  THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE, 
by  the  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES.  This  lono- ex- 
pected event  threw  us  all  into  such  a  rapturous  roar  of  joy, 
that  we  made  old  Dartmoor  shake  under  us,  with  our  shouts  ; 
and  to  testify  our  satisfaction  we  illuminated  this  depot  of 
misery.  Even  Shortland  affected  joy,  and  was  seen  more 
than  once,  like  Milton's  Devil,  to  "  grin  horribly  a  ghastly 
smile." 

As  there  can  be  now  no  longer  a  doubt  of  our  being  soon 
set  at  liberty,  our  attention  is  directed  to  the  agent  for  prison- 
ers for  fixing  the  time,  and  arranging  the  means.  Mr.  Beas- 
ley  had  written  that  as  soon  as  the  Treaty  was  ratified,  he 
would  make  every  exertion  for  our  speedy  departure.  He 
must  be  aware  of  our  extreme  impatience  to  leave  this  drean 
spot,  whose  brown  and  grassless  surface  renders  it  a  place 
wore  proper  for  convicts,  than  an  assemblage  of  patriots. 

We  are  all  watching  the  countenance  and  conduct  of  our 
surly  keeper,  Shortland  :  and  it  is  the  general  opinion  that 
lie  is  deeply  chagrined  at  the  idea  of  no  longer  domineering 
over  us.  It  may  be,  also,  that  the  peace  may  reduce  him  1* 


196  JOURNAL. 

half  pay.  I,  myself,  am  of  opinion,  that  he  is  dissatisfied  at 
the  idea  of  our  escaping  his  fangs,  with  whole  skins ;  and  hi« 
dark  and  sullen  countenance  gathers  every  day  additional 
blackness. 

April  4th. — The  contractor's  clerk  heing  desirous  to  get 
off  his  hands  (he  hard  biscuit,  which  had  been  held  in  re- 
serve in  case  of  bad  weather,  attempted  to  serve  it  out  to 
the  prisoners  at  this  time  ;  but  the  committee  refused  to  re- 
ceive it.  Nothing  but  hard  bread  was  served  out  to  them 
this  day.  In  the  evening,  several  hundred  of  the  prisoners 
entered  the  market  square,  and  demanded  their  soft  bread  ; 
but  it  was  refused.  The  officers  persuaded  them  to  retire, 
but  they  would  not,  before  they  received  their  usual  soft 
bread.  The  military  officers,  finding  that  it  was  in  vain  to 
appease  them,  as  they  had  but  about  three  hundred  militia 
to  guard  five  or  six  thousand,  complied  with  their  request, 
ami  all  was  quietness  and  contentment. 

During  this  little  commotion,  Captain  Shortland  was  gone 
from  home.  He  returned  next  day,  when  he  expressed  his 
dissatisfaction  at  the  conduct  of  the  military,  who  he  said, 
should  not  have  complied  with  the  demand  of  the  prisoners. 
As  it  was,  however,  past,  and  the  prisoners  were  tranquil, 
and  no  signs  of  disturbance  remaining,  he  grew  pacified. 

On  the  4th  of  April,  we  received  intelligence,  which  we 
supposed  correct,  that  seven  cartel  ships  were  to  sail  from 
the  Thames  for  Plymouth,  to  transport  us  home,  and  that 
several  more  were  in  preparation.  This  inspired  us  with 
high  spirits,  arid  good  humor;  and  I  distinctly  remember 
that  the  prisoners  appeared  to  enjoy  their  amusements,  such 
as  playing  ball  and  the  like,  beyond  what  I  had  ever  before 
observed.  We  all,  in  fact,  felt  light  hearted,  from  the  ex- 
pectation of  soon  leaving  this  dreary  abode,  to  return  to  our 
dear  homes,  and  adored  country.  But  how  was  the  scene- 
changed  before  the  light  of  another  ffoy  !  Dead  and  wound- 
ed men,  blood  aiuf  horror,  made  up  the  scenery  of  this  fatal 
evening! 

The  best  account  that  could  possibly  be  given,  is  that  of 
a  respectable  committee,  selected  from  among  the  best  char- 
acters in  this  large  assemblage  of  American  prisoners.  The 
greater  part  of  this  committee,  were  men  of  no  mean  talents. 
They  were  not  young  men,  but  had  arrived  at  that  period  of 
life,  when  judgment  is  the  soundest,  and  when  passion  does 
not  betray  reason.  The  anxiety  of  all  to  know  the  truth 


JOURNAL.  l(3H 

*>;«l  the  solemn  manner  in  which  the  evidence  was  collected 
ant!  given,  stamped  the  transaction  with  the  characters  of 
truth.  I  did  not  see  the  beginning  of  this  affray.  I  was, 
with  most  of  the  other  prisoners,  eating  my  evening's  meal 
in  the  building,  when  I  heard  the  alarm  bell,  and  soon  af- 
ter a  volley  of  musketry.  There  were,  I  believe,  before 
f h«  alarm  bell  rung,  a  few  hundred  prisoners,  scattered  here 
and  there  about  the  yards,  as  usual  ;  but  I  had  no  idea  of 
any  particular  collection  of  them,  n6r  had  I  any  suspicion  of 
any  commotion  existing,  or  meditated.  But  I  forbear  ;  and 
will  here  insert  the  report  of  the  committee,  in  the  correct- 
ness of  which  I  place  an  entire  confidence. 


DARTMOOR  MASSACRE. 

Having  seen  in  print  several  different  statements  of  the  massacre 
f.i  the  American  prisoners  of  war  at  Dartmoor,  and,  on  perusal,  find- 
ing, that,  though  they  corroborate  each  other,- as  to  the 'leading  facts, 
.vet  it  seems  the  public  are  not  in  possession  of  all  the  particulars  ne- 
cessary to  form  a  proper  judgement  of  the  same. 

While  in  prison,  we  having  been  members  of  the  committee  through 
whom  was  transacted  all  their  public  business,  and  through  whose 
hands  passed  all  their  correspondence  with  their  agent  in  London,  and 
having  in  our  possession  several  documents  relating  to  the  before  men- 
tioned brutal  'butchery,  we  deem  it  a  duty  we  owe  to  OUT  murdered 
countrymen  and  fellow-citizens  in  general  to  have  them  published. 

Respecting  the  conduct  of  T.  G.  SHORTLANU,  (commander- of  the 
depot  of  Dartmoor)  prior  to  the  bloody  and  ever  memorable  sixth  of 
April,  it  was  a  series  of  continued  insult,  injury  and  vexation  to  the 
prisoners  generally.  Incapable  of  appreciating  the  beneficial  effects 
of  the  liberal -policy  of  a.gentleman,  his  sole  study  appeared  to  be  de- 
vising means  to  render  the  situation  of  the  prisoners  as  disagreeable  as 
possible.  To  instance  a  few  of  his  proceedings  will  sufficiently  war- 
rant the  foregoing  assertion,  His  conduct  to  the  American  officers 
was  marked  with  peculiar  baseness  and  indignity.  In  the  construc- 
tion of  the  depot  at  Dartmoor,  there  was  a  separate  prison,  built  ami 
enclosed  for  the  more  commodious  accommodation  of  those  officers 
(prisoners  of  war)  who  were  not  considered  by  them  entitled  to  a  pa- 
role. Instead  of  Shortland  alloAving  those  officers  to  occupy  that  pri- 
son, they  were  turned  into  the  other  prisons  promiscuously,  with  their 
men.  His  conduct  to  the  prisoners  generally  was  of  the  same  stamp. 
There  not  being,  at  any  time,  a  sufficient  number  to  occupy  all  the 
prisons,  he  kept  the  two  best,  which  were  built  by  the  Frenchmen 
during  their  confinement,  and  more  conveniently  fitted  for  the  accom- 
modation of  prisoners,  shut  and  unoccupied,  while  the  upper  stories  of 
those  prisons  in  which  the  Americana  were  put,  were  in  such  a  state.,, 


lo  JOURNAL. 

that  on  every  rain  storm  the  floors  were  nearly  inundated.  The  per- 
nicious effect  this  had  on  the  health  of  the  prisoners  may  be  ea*i)y 
iudged  of  by  the  great  mortality  that  prevailed  among  them  during  the 
Jast  winter  season. 

Another  instance  of  his  murderous  disposition,  was  his  ordering  his 
guards  to  fire  into  the  prisons,  when,  at  any  time,  a  light  was  seen 
burning  during  the  night,  as  specified  in  the  general  report.  Wliik: 
the  Frenchmen  -were  confined  in  that  depot,  it  was  a  custom  for  the 
turnkey,  with  a  sentry,  to  go  into  each  prison,  and  see  the  lights  ex- 
tinguished at  a  stated  hour ;  although  frequently  lighted  again  there 
was  no  further  molestation.  Instead  of  pursuing  this  plan  with  the 
Americans,  Shortland  gave  orders  for  the  guards  to  fire  into  the  prisons 
whenever  there  should  be  a  light  burning.  Frequently,  on  the  most 
trivial  occasions,  he  would  prevent  the  prisoners,  for  ten  days  at  a 
time,  from  purchasing,  in  the  market,  of  the  country  people,  such  arti- 
cles of  comfort  and  convenience  as  their  scanty  means  would  admit 
of.  His  last  act  of  this  kind,  was  but  a  short  time  previous  to  the  mas- 
sacre, and  his  alledged  reason  for  it  was,  that  the  prisoners  would  not 
deliver  up  to  him  a  man  who  had  made  his  escape  from  the.  black 
hole,  (a  place  of  confinement  for  criminals)  and  had  taken  refuge  a- 
mong  the  prisoners  in  general.  This  man  was  one  of  a  prize-crew, 
who  was  confined  in  that  dark  and  loathsome  cell,on  a  short  allowance 
of  provisions,  from  June,  1814,  until  the  ratification  of  the  treaty.  On 
that  man  being  demanded,  the  prisoners  stated  to  Shortland,  that  they 
did  not  presume  that  the  British  government  would  expect  them  to 
stand  sentry  over  each  other— that  he  might  send  his  turnkeys  and  sol- 
diers in  and  look  for  the  man,  but  they  would  not  seek  him  and  de- 
liver him  up— upon  which  he  ordered  the  military  to  fire  upon  the 
prisoners,  but  owing  to  the  coolness  and  deliberation  of  the  then  com- 
manding military  officer,  in  restraining  them,  this  order  was  not 
obeyed. 

To  snrn  up  the  whole  in  a  few  word?,  his  conduct,  throughout,  was 
marked  by  the  same  illiberal  prejudice,  overbearing  insult,  and  savage 
barbarity,  which  characterizes  the  majority  of  tngli.'-h  officers  when 
th«'y  have  Americans  in  their  power. 

The  enclosed  papers,  from  No.  1  to  16  inclusive,  are  the  depositions 
taken  by  the  committee  of  investigation  on  the  7tk  Colonel  AYHK 
arrived  from  Plymouth  and  took  command  of  this  d^por.  Shortland 
sent  in  a  message  to  the  committee,  requesting  their  attendance  at  his 
office,  to  which  was  returned  for  answer,  that  considering  him  a  r&ur- 
derer,  they  were  determined  to  have  no  communication  with  him — 
but  added,  if  the  commanding  officer  from  Plymouth  had  any  thing  to 
communicate,  they  would  wait  on  him  ;  and,  at  his  requc- 
went  up  to  the  gate,  where  they  stated  to  him  all  the  particulars  oi' 
the  affair. 

He  expressed  great  regret  for  what  had  occurred,  and  assured  the 
prisoners  that  no  further  violence  should  be  u.-ed  upon  them.  In  the 
mean  time  Shortland  made  his  appearance.  Instantly  the  indignant 
cry  of  murderer,  scoundrel,  villain,  burst  from  the  lips  of  hundred-. 
Tho  guilty  wretch  stood  appalled,  not  daring  to  offer  a  syllable  in  vin- 
dication of  his  conduct ;  but  with,  a  pallid  visage  ;md  trembling  M  \\ 


JOURNAL.  399 

to  his  guard-house,  from  whence  he  was  never  ?een  to  emerge 
while  we  remained  there.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  a  rear-admiral 
and  post  captain  arrived  from  Plymouth,  sent  by  Sir  J.  T.  Duckworth, 
commander  in  chief  on  that  station,  to  enquire  into  the  transaction  ;  to 
whom  we  likewise  fully  stated,  by  the  committee,  all  the  particulars, 
together  with  Shortland's  previous  infamous  conduct.  Their  scanda- 
lous misrepresentation  of  the  same  to  the  admiralty  board,  as  will  be 
seen  in  their  statement  No.  20,  is  truly  characteristic  of  the  British 
official  accounts.  We  likewise  wrote  to  Mr.  Beasly  on  that  day,  giv- 
ing him  a  short  history  of  the  affair,  but  as  he  did  not  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  the  letter,  we  concluded  it  had  been  intercepted  On 
the  14th  we  received  a  letter  from  him  dated  the  12th,  of  which  No. 
18  is  a  copy — in  answer  to  which  No.  19  is  a  copy.  On  the  16th  we 
received  another  from  him,  of  which  No.  20  is  a  copy  ;  in  the  interim 
lie  had  seen  a  copy  of  our  report,  sent  by  a  private  conveyance,  which 
Deemed  to  have  greatly  altered  his  opinion  concerning  the  affair.  In 
his  letter  of  the  14th  was  an  extract  from  the  statement  or  report  sent 
him  by  the  admiralty  board.  On  receiving  which  we  wrote  to  admi- 
ral Duckworth,  of  which  No.  21  is  a  copy. 

On  the  22d  of  April,  Mr.  King,  appointed  by  the  American  agents 
at  London,  and  a  Mr.  Larpent  on  the  part  of  the  government,  with  a 
magistrate  of  the  coiiji"'  of  Devon,  arrived  at  the  depot  to  investigate 
Ihe  affair ;  ti  t  ai  i.  of  three  days  in  talc- 

ing the   6c.}<  ;  IK!  though  we  would  i;">t 

hastily  prejudi  n«,:cf  .--suvy  to  state,  thai 

our  anticipation-  61  ii  ;-.re  not  of  ti;'  Durable  nature,  from  his 

not  appearing  to  take  tSuat  interest  in  the  affair  which  the  injuries  his- 
countrymen  had  r<  .  ,»ter  part  • 

time  was  employed  l?i  t--king  the  ;lq  Ciiiioiis  of  Shortland's  w;' 
most  of  whom   were  the  principal  ;,;•„,;-,  ,-r,  J«ai  iiity,  am!  i>j' 
were  implicated  witii  him  in  his  gniit.     On  learn  ing  Mr.  King  was  a- 
bout  leaving  the  drpot,  we  addressed  a  note  to  him,  stating,  "that  we 
had  a  number  of  witnesses  waiting,  who*<  ->ns  we  conceived 

would  be  of  importuiict,  and  requeue  cl  him  to  have  them  taken  ;  we 
received  to  this  note  no  answer,  am;  .':e  imiM?t:i;ite!y  left  the  depot. 
The  particuliir  points  on  which  t;  would  have  born, 

related  to  the  picking  the  hole  in  the  wuil  and  breaking  the  locks  of 
the  gale  loading  into  the  mark  -s<  -"!:u-y  woukl  have  exonerated 

the  prison*  i>  ;.'<  nerall}  ;  ,  ..ny  share  in  those  acts,  or  even  a 

knowledge  of  their  having  been   c  As  these  were  the  two 

principal  points  on  which  Shortlaud  tested  his  plea  of  justification,  we 
t  it  highly  necessary  that  they  should  have  been  placed  in  a 
proper  point  of  view.  As  for  an  idta  of  the  prisoners  attempting  to 
break  eut,  a  moment's  reflection  would  convince  any  impartial  man 
of  its  improbability.  Every  prisons  that  had  a  sufficiency  of  money 
to  defray  his  exp'ences,  could  obtain  his  release  and  a  passport,  by  ap- 
plying to  Mr.  Beasly,  or  through  their  correspondence  in  England  ; 
those  who  had  not  funds  would  not  have  left  the  depot  had  the  gates 
been  thrown  open,  having  no  means  of  subsistence  in  a  foreign  ccun- 
try,  and  there  being  a  very  hot  press  of  seamen  at  that  time,  they 
'wAr  ri-k  of  Icing  kidnapped  was  great,  and  when,  by  staying 


200*  JOURNAL. 

a  few  days  longer,  they  were  assured  they  would  be  embarked  for 
their  native  country.  The  infamous  falsehoods  circulated  in  the  Eng- 
lish prints,  of  the  prisoners  having  armed  themselves  with  knives,  clubs, 
stones,  &c.  seized  a  part  of  the  guard  and  disarmed  them,  and  other 
similar  reports,  r.re  cnworthy  of  notice  ;  for  when  the  disturbance  GCJ-- 
curred  on  the  fourth  of  April,  concerning  bread,  the  prisoners  having 
burst  open  the.  inner  gates,  Lad  they  the  least  disposition,  they  might 
have  immolated  the  whole  garrison,  as  they  were  completely  surprised. 
and  panic  struck. 

The  artful  policy  of  the  British  officers  in  coupling  the  transactions 
of  the  6th  of  April  with  that  of  burning  Mr.  Beasly's  effigy,  may  easi- 
ly be  seen  through  ;  the  latter  was  done  a  fortnight  previous,  by  a  few 
individuals,  without  its  being  generally  known,  or  the  least  disturb- 
ance concerning  it  ;  and  we  deem  it  but  justice  to  state,  that  what- 
ever negligence  Mr.  Beasty-  may  have  been  guilty  of,  respecting  the 
affairs  of  the  pjisoner*,  he  should  be  totally  exonerated  from  all  blame 
respecting  th'e  massacre. 

There  was  aa  instance  that  occurred  on  the  evening  of  the  6th,. 
which  reflects  so  much  credit  on  the  Americans,  it  should  not  be  pas-> 
seel  -over  in  silence.  When  the  brutal  soldiery  were  following  the 
prisoners  in  the  yards,  stabbing  and  firing  among  them,  a  lamp  lighter,' 
who  had  come  in  a  few  moments  previous,  ran  into  No.  3  prison,  to 
escape  being  rmin-lored  by  his  own  countrymen  ;  on  being  recognized, 
a  rope  was  fixed  for  hanging  him  immediately.  In  this  moment  of 
irritation,  when  their  slaughtered  and  bleeding  countrymen  lay  groan- 
ing around  them  in  the  agonies  of  dissolution,  such  an  act  of  vengeance, 
at  that  time  would  not  have  been  singular  —  buton  its  being  represent- 
ed to  them,  by  some  influential  characters,  that  such  a  deed  would 
stain  tke  American  name,  to  their  honour  be  it  recorded,  that  human- 
"!!7  t""IVipiieu  over  Vengeance,  trie  trembling  wretch  was  released,  and 
told  to  go  _  u7Fe  disdain  to  copy  after  your  countrymen,  and  murder 
•you  at  this  advantage,  we.  mil  seek  a  more  noblt  revenge." 

We  deem  it  necessary  here  to  remark,  asTsome  editors  have  mani- 
fested a  disposition  to  vindicate  Shortland's  conduct,  that,  allowing 
'«very  circumstance  to  be  placed  in-  the  most  unfavourable  point  of 
•view  for  the  prisoners,  suppose,  for  a  moment,  it  was  their  intention 
to  break  out,  and  a  number  had  collected  ia  the  market  square  for 
that  purpose,'  «  hen,  being  charged  upon  by  the  military,  they  retreat- 
od  out  of  the  square  into  their  respective  prison-yards,  and  shut  the 
fates  after  them  without  making  any  resistance  whatever  ;  under  such 
Hrcums-tances  no  farther  opposition  could  have  been  expected,  and, 
consequently,  their  intention  must  have  been  completely  defeated. 
What  justification  can  there  then  be  made  to  appear  for  the  subse- 
quent brutal,  unprecedented  butchery  and  mutilation  ?  NONE  !  The 
liiost  fhaiuelesF  and  barefaced  advocates  and  apologizers  for  British  ia- 
produce  r-nv. 

WALTER  COLTON,  )    Members  of 

THOS.  B.  MOTT 

WM  HOB  ART, 


LTON,  ) 
TT,        } 

T,          ) 


DEPOSITION  No.  I. 

I,  Addison  Hob  tics,  being  solemnly  sworn  on  the  holy  evangelists  of 
Almighty  God,  depose  and  say — 

That  on  the  6th  of  April,  about  6  o'clock  in  the  evening,  I  was  in- 
the  market-square,  where  the  soldiers  were  drawn  up.  There  was  a 
number  of  Americans  in  the  square — to  the  best  of  my  judgment,  be- 
tween fifty  and  a  hundred.  I  distinctly  heard  Captain  Shortland  or- 
der the  soldiers  to  charge  on  the  prisoners,  which  they  did  not  do  till 
the  order  was  repeated  by  their  own  officers,  when  they  charged,  and 
the  prisoners  retreated  through  the  gates,  which  they  shut  to  after 
them.  In  this  interim  I  had  got  behind  a  sentry  box,  in  the  square, 
and  the  soldiers  went  past  me.  I  saw  Captain  Shortland  open  the 
gates,  and  distinctly  heard  him  give  the  word  to  fire,  which  was  not 
immediately  obeyed,  the  commanding  officer  of  the  soldiers  observing, 
that  he  would  not  order  the  men  to  fire,  but  that  he  (Shortland)  might 
do  as  he  pleased.  I  then  saw  Captain  Shortland  seize  hold  of  a  mus- 
ket, in  the  hands  of  a  soldier,  which  was  immediately  fired — but  I  am 
not  able  to  say  whether  he  or  the  soldier  pulled  the  trigger.  At  this 
time  I  was  end.ovouring  to  get  through  the  gate  to  the  prison-yard — 
in  so  doing  several  stabs  were  made  at  me  with  bayonets,  which  I  e- 
vaded.  Immediately  after  the  firing  became  general,  and  I  retreated, 
with  the  remainder  of  the  prisoners,  down  the  yard,  the  soldiers  fol- 
lowing and  tiring  on  the  prisoners  ;  af;er  I  had  got  into  No.  3  prison, 
I  heard  two  vollies  fired  into  the  prison,  tiiat  killed  one  man  and 
wounded  another — and  further  the  deponent  saith  not. 

ADDISON  HOLMES. 

We,  the  undersigned,  being  duly  appointed  and  sworn  as  a  com- 
mittee to  take  the  depositions  of  those  persons  who  were  eye  witnesses 
of  the  late  horrid  massacre,  certify  that  the  above  deponents,  being 
duly  and  solemnly  sworn  on  the  holy  evangelists  of  Almighty  God, 
did  depose  and  say  as  before  written,  which  was  severally  read  to 
each  one  who  subscribed  the  same. 

William  IL  Owe,  Win.  Hobart, 

Francis  Joseph,  James  Adams, 

iValtcr  Cotton,  James  Boggs.     . 

[A  certificate  similar  to  the  foregoing,  is  attached  to  each  of  the  de- 
positions.    The  originals  are  now  in  our  hands.] 
No.  II. 

We,  tke  undersigned,  being  et.ch  severally  sworn  on  the  holy  evau- 
arelists  of  Almighty  God,  depose  and  say — 

That  on  the  6th  of  April,  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  as  we 
were  walking  in  the  yard  of  No.  1  and  No.  3  prisons,  just  before  the 
usual  time  of  turning  in,  we  heard  the  alarm  bell  ring.  At  this  time 
most  of  the  prisoners  were  in  the  prisons  ;  a  number  with  us  ran  up 
the  market  square,  out  of  curiosity,  to  see  what  was  the  matter  ;  there 
were  about  one  hundred  collected  in  the  square,  and  a  number  were 
standing  by  the  gates  inside  the  prison  yard  ;  the  soldiers  wrere  drawn 
up  in  the  upper  part  of  the  square  ;  orders  were  given  them  to  charge, 
oil  which  the  prisoners  retreated  out  of  the  squave,  and  some  of  the 
last  which  came  through  the  gates,  shut,  them  to  ;  the  soldiers  then 
firing  on  them  through  the  iron,  pailings,  and  tired 


JOURfTAL-.. 

volHesin  succession.  The  prisoners  were,  at  this  time  e:i(i<  avoutlng 
to  get  into  their  respective  prisons,  when  the  soldiers  perceived  tlrat 
they  were  all  dispersed  from  the  gates,  they  followed  them  into  the 
Yard,  and  continued  firing,  on -them  ;  and  after  all  the  prisoners  had 
got  into  the  prisons,  a  party  of  soldiers  pursuing  .them,  came  up  to  the. 
door  of  No.  3  -prison,  and  fired  two  vollies  into  the  prison,  which  kil- 
led one  man  and  mortally  wounded  another. 

We  further  solemnly  declare,  .that  there  was  no  pre-concerted  plan 
or  intention  among  the  prisoners  to  make  an  attempt  to  break  out, 
or  to  resist,  in  any  manner,  the  authority  of  the  government  of  the 
depot,  , 

John  T.  Foster,         Charles  Perry,  Geo.  Slinc/iecomb, 

Klisha  Wlii./it/n,        James  Orcnnlaw,       William  Perry, 
haac  L.  Burr,  Wm.  E,  Orne,          Richard  Downing. 

Done  at  Dartmoor  Prison,  tliis  7th  day  of  April.  .1815. 

No,  III. 

T,  Andrew  Dai*is,jun.  being  solemnly  sworn  upon  the  holy  evau- 
^•jists  of  Almighty  God,  depose  and  say — 

That  on  the  6th  of  April,  about  six.  o1  clock  in  the  evening,  while 
walking  iu  the  yard  of  No.  3  prison,  I  heard  the  alarm  bell  ring,  and 
I  went  up  towards  the  gate  :  .1  saw  several  .men  bearing  a  wounded, 
ruan  towards  the  gate,  whom  it  appeared  had  been  wounded  by  Ihe 
soldiers1  bayonets  ;  when  the  prisoners  were  retreating  out  of  the 
square,  I  heard  Captain  Shortlarid  order  a  part  of  them  to  let  go  the 
wounded  man,  which  some  of  them  did  ;  one  of  the  remaining  re-- 
monstrated  to  Captain  Shortland,  saying  that  the  man  was  so  badly 
wounded  that  it  required  several  to  support  him  ;  on  which  Captain 
Shoriland  struck  him  several  blows  with  his  fists,  and  he  appeared  tc» 
me,  from  the  whole  of  his  conduct,  to  be  much  intoxicated  with  li- 
quor— and  further  the  deponent  saith.not. 

ANDREW  DAVIS,  Juw. 
No.  IV, 

We,  the -undersigned,  depose  and  say — 

That  on  the  Oth  of  April,  in  the  evening,  we  were  in  the  yard  of 
"No.  \  and  No.  3  prisons,  when  we  heard  the  firing  at  the  gnte.s,  and 
paw  the  prisoners  all  endeavoring  to  get  into,  their,  respective  prisons. 
In  going  down  towards  the  lower  door  of  the  prisons, .  we  saw  a  party 
of  soldiei.',.  who  were  posted  on  the  walls,  commence  firing  on  tin-: 
prisoners,  and  we  saw  a  man  fall,  who  immediately- died,  and  several 
others  were  badty  wounded  before  they  were  able  to  get  into  tlVe" 
gpisong. 

Amos  Cheeney,  James  Coffcn, 

Washington  Fox^  Thomas  Wdliatiie, 

John  Smith,  Henry  Casey. 

Harris  Keenev, 
No.  ,V. 

Hdxier  Hull,  after  being  duly  sworn  on  the  holy  .evangelists  of  A?- 
mighty  God,  deposeth  and  saitii  — 

On  the  6th  of  April,  about  -;ix  o'clock  in  the  evening,  I  was  walk- 
;jfc:g  in  the.  ya'\!  of  Xo,  7  prison- -,  .all  being  as  trarqr.il  among  the  pris-- 
»*  '.'btcrvcd  an  umissal  number  of  soldiers  mount!?1?; 


203" 

Ike  walls  ;  and  one  of  them  called  to  one  of  the  prisoners,  and  told 
him  lie  (the  prisoner)  had  better  go  into  the  prison,  as  the  prisoner.'; 
u-ould  soon  be  charged  upon.  While  he  was  asking  the  cause  of  such 
a  proceeding.  I  heard  the  alarm  bell  ringing.  I  immediately  run  to 
the  gates  leading  to  the  square,  when  I  saw  Captain  Shortland  at  the 
head  of  the  armed  soldiery  marching  down  to  the  gratings,  the  prison- 
ers at  the  same  time  running  to  see  what  was  the  matter  ;  on  the  sol- 
diers coming  to  the  gratings,  Capt.  Shorlland  ordered  them  to  charge, 
which  they  did  ;  tire  prisoners  immediately  run  to  their  respective 
prisons  ;  on  passing  through  the  inner  gate  they  closed  it  after  them, 
Then  I  heard  Captain  Shortland  order  the  soldiers  to  FIRK,  which 
they  commenced  to  do  in  every.direction  of  the  yard,  when  the  pris- 
oners were  making  every  effort  to  reach  their  prisons.  I  did  not  see 
any  violence  used  on  the  part  of  the  prisoners,  nor  do  I  believe  any 
violence  was  intended  or  premeditated.  HOMER  HULL. 

I,  Joseph  C.  Morgan,  having  been  duly  sworn,  and  having  read  the 
foregoing  deposition.,  -do. declare  the  statement  therein  mentioned,  to 
be  true.1"  J.  C.  MORGAN, 

No.  VI, 

We.  the  undersigned,  depose  and  say— 

That,  on  the  6th  of  April,  about  6  o'clock  in  the  evening,  we  were 
in  the  market  square — we  distinctly  heard  Captain  Shortland  give  or- 
rid:-  to  the  soldiers  to  charge  on  the  prisoners — and  after  we  retreated 
through  the  gates,  we  heard  him  give  orders  to  the  soldiers  to  FIRE. 
w-hich,  on  his  repeating  several  times,  was  executed. 

Joseph  Ruevts,  Isaac  L.  Burr, 

Janus  Greenluw,.  Thomas  TindaL 

No.  VII. 

We,  the  undersigned,  depose  and  say — 

That  on  the  6th  of  April,  in  the  evening,  after  all  the*  prisoners  iir- 
No.  1  and  3  yards  had  got  into  their  respective  prisons,   a  party  of""" 
soldiers  came  up  to  the  door  of  No.  3  prison — we  were  standing  near 
the  door  at  the  time,  and  saw  them  fire  TWO  VOLLIES  into  the  prison, 
ivhich  killed, one  man  and  wounded  another. 

William  Scanck,  John  Latham, 

James  Green/aw,  John  Glass. 

No.  VIII. 

Enoch  Eurnham,  having  been  duly  sworn,  deposeih- — 
That  he  was  standing  at  the  market  gate  at  the  time  Capt.  Short- 
hmd  came  into  the  niarket  square  with  a  large  party  of  soldiers  (it  be- 
ing tht  n  about  6  o'clock.)  They  immediately  formed  a  line  in  the> 
square — at  that  time  a  number  of  prisoners  got  into  the  square  from 
the  yard  of  No.  1  prison,  and  had  advanced  a  few  steps  ;  the  soldiers 
then  charged, -and  the  prisoners  immediately  retreated  to  their  pris- 
ons, withoufthe  least  resistance.  After  the  prisoners  had  retired  to • 
the  yards  of  the  prison,  the  soldiery  formed  a  line,  and  commenced 
firiug  in  the  yards,  the  prison  gates  being  closed  by  the  prisoners  ;  .. 
shortly  aft  or  they. kept  up  a  heavy  fire,  and  I  saw  one  war*  full.  L 
lBim.a4Ja.ttLy  hastened  to  No,  5  prison,  but  on  reaching  No,  7,  I  found* 


204  JOURNAL. 

there  was  a  party  of  soldiers  on  the  wall,  firing  from  •  every  <J.<»' 
I  then  got  safe  in  No.  7,  where,  after  remaining  at  the  north  t;iid  win- 
dow for  a  few  moments,  I  saw  a  man  (a  prisoner}  leaning  against  the 
wall,  apparently  wounded,  ivith  his  hands  in  a  supplicating  posture — 
at  the  saint,  time,  I  saw  several  soldiers  present  andjlre,  at  the  prisoner, 
and  he  fell  dead  on  the  spot. 

ENOCH  BURNHAM. 
No.  IX. 

Edward  Coffin,  being  duly  sworn,  deposed,  that  on  the  sixth  of 
April,  about  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  a  few  prisoners  belonging  to 
No.  5  and  7  prisons,  broke  a  hole  through  the  wall  opposite  No.  7 
prison,  as  they  said,  to  get  a  ball  out  of  the  barrack  yard,  which  they 
had  lost  in  their  play.  After  they  had  broke  through  the  wail,  the 
officers  and  soldiers  that  were  in  the  barrack  yard,  told  them  to  desist, 
or  they  would  fire  upon  them.  Immediately  after  that  the  drum  beat 
to  arms,  and  the  square  was  filled  with  soldiers,  and  without  telling  the 
prisoners  to  go  to  their  prison,  immediately  commenced  to  charge  and 
fire  upon  them.  I  immediately  started  to  go  to  No.  5  prison,  and  the 
soldiers  on  the  platforms  on  the  walls  commenced  firing,  and  I  should 
think  near  forty  fired  at  myself  and  three  others,  as  I  am  sure  there 
wore  no  other  men  in  sight  at  that  time  between  Nos.  5  and  6  prisons, 
In  going  round  No.  5  cook  house,  a  prisoner  was  shot  and  killed  very 
near  me.  EDWARD  COFFIN, 

Attest.  HF.WR*  ALLEN. 

No,  X. 

Thomas  B.  Motf,  having  been  duly  sworn,  deposed — 

About  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  April,  I  was  called 
on  by  a  number  of  persons,  requesting  me  as  one  of  the  committee,  to 
put  a  stop  to  some  boys,  whom  they  said  were  picking  a  hole  through 
an  inner  wall,  for  which,  they  said,  our  provisions  would  be  stopped 
to  pay  for.  I  asked  what  was  their  intentions  in  making  the  hole  ? 
They  said  it  was  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  ball  which  they  had 
lost  in  their  play.  I  then  repaired,  with  a  number  of  respectable  menr 
to  make  them  desist  ;  but  before  we  got  into  the  yard,  a  quick  firing 
oommen.-ed.  On  my  walking 'up  the  yard,  was  met  by  a  number  of 
prisoners  retreating  to  their  prisons,  much  alarmed  ;  one  of  which  I 
observed  was  badly  wounded  ;  he  was  bleeding  freely  from  his  wound' 
— I  could  see  the  yard  was  clear  of  prisoners,  or  not  more  than  two 
or  three  to  be  seen,  and  they  retiring  fast.  I  requested  the  wounded 
man  to  lean  upon  me,  and  I  would  assist  him  in  some  medical  aid. — 
We  had  not  advanced  tmt  a  few  steps,  when  we  were  fired  on.  I 
advanced,  assuring  the  soldiery  we  had  no  hostile  intentions.  I  then 
took  the  fainting  flaaD  in  my  arms,  when  a  volley  of  musketry  was 
discharged  full  at  us.  I  then  retired  immediately  ;  there  was  but  one 
of  my  prison  doors  unlocked,  which  was  OH  the  back  of  the  prison. 
On  tun-Jug  the  corner  of  the  cook  house,  I  found  myself  unexpected- 
ly open  i'>  vh'  tu'f  of  spV.ii  ."<•  ;>n  the  ramp  ails  of  the  ,-:outh  wall  ; — 
their  fire  was  kept  up  in  so  brisk  a  manner,  that  it  appeared  almost 
impossible  to  enter  wiiLu-jt  buvig  shut;  but  fmdiug  my  .'.'muiiion  very 
datjgerous,  I  was  determined  to  enter  the  prison,  or  die  in  the  at- 
Fcr  thai  purpose,  myself,  with  a  cumber  of  others  thai  had 


JOURNAL.  205 

i5een  standing  behind  the  wing  of  the  cook  house,  sallied  out  for-  the 
purpose  of  gaining  our  prison  door,  when  a  volley  of  musket  balls 
showered  in  amongst  us,  killing  two,  and  wounding  others.  On  our 
entering  the  prison  our  doors  were  shut  to  keep  them  from  firing  in. 
fc'ome  little  time  after,  the  turnkey  enquired  for  me  ;  I  went  forward 
to  the  window  ;  he  requested  me  to  deliver  up  the  dead  and  wound- 
ed ;  I  requested  him  to  open  the  door,  which  he  did,  for  that  purpose. 
On  passing  out  the  dead  and  wounded,  I  was  insulted  by  the  soldiery, 
end  on  my  replying,  was  charged  upon,  and  with  difficulty  escaped, 
without  being  butchered  ;  they  likewise  insulted  the  wounded  as  I 
gave  them  up,  and  threw  the  dead  down  in  the  mud,  and  spurned  at 
a  very  unfeeling  manner.  THOS;  B.  MOTT. 


No.  XI: 

I,  William  Mitchell,  being  duly  sworn  upon  'the  holy  evangelists  of 
Almighty  God,  depose  and  say  — 

That,  on  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  April,  when  the  alarm  com- 
menced, I  was  in  the  lower  part  of  No.  1  yard..  I  walked  up  towards 
the  gale  to  learn  the  cause  ;  when  I  had  got  about  halfway,  I  heard 
a  single  musket  fired,  and  immediately  after  a  whole  volley.  I  then 
saw  several  men  carrying  one  that  was  wounded,  the  soldiers  keep- 
ins;  up  the  whole  time  a  steady  fire,  and  the  prisoners  all  endeavoring 
to~get  into  the  prisons  ;  the  lower  doors  being  closed  in  the  interim  ; 
it  was  with  much  difficulty  they  could  get  in,  the  soldiers  pursuing 
them  the  whole  time,  and  charging  them  with  bayonets  ;  and  after 
getting  into  the  prison,  I  heard  the  firing  of  musketry  in  all  directions 
round  the  prison  :  and  further  the  deponent  saith  not. 

WILLIAM  MITCHELL. 
No.  XII. 

T,  John  G.  GatckcU,  having  been  duly  sworn,  depose  and  say  — 

That  1  was  ^  alking  in  the  yard,  towards  the  gate.  The  first  t 
knew,  was  the  soldiers  corning  into  the  yard,  with  Capt.  Shortland  at 
their  head,  when  an  immediate  fire  began  from  the  soldiers,  and  one 
:iutn  fell  within  six  feet  of  me.  While  in  the  act  of  rendering  this 
man  assistance,  I  heard  Captain  Shortland  order  the  soldiers  to  kill 
the  damnM  ru>scal  —  meaning  me  ;  immediately  the  soldiers  came  and 
pricked  me  with  their  bayonets,  and  I  was  forced  to  run  to  the  prison 
at  the  hazard  of  my  life,  uiid  leave  the  man  that  was  wounded. 

JOHN  G.  GATCHELL, 
No.  XIII. 

James  Taylor,  having  been  duly  sworn,  deposeth,  that  he  was 
standing  at  the  gute  in  the  market  square,  at  the  time  Captain  Short- 
l:md,  with  a  file  of  soldiers,  entered  the  square.  Captain  Shortland 
ordered  a  prisoner  in  the  square  to  go  into  the  prison,  when  he  imme- 
diately complied.  He  then  ordered  the  soldiers  to  charge  ;  and  in- 
stantly observed  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  military  —  u  It  is  no 
use  to  charge  on  the  dumn'd  Yankee  rascal?  —  FIRE"  —  when  this 
commenced  immediately.  The  prisoners  at  that  time  w.ere  rushing 
in  the  prisons  as  fast  us  possible,  and  principally  out  cfthe  square.  — 
After  t'.*'  prisoners  -were  mostly  in  the  prison  of  No.  4,  i.  boy.  of  ten 
c»s  -hot  through  the  body  aad  killed,  while  in  the  door 


206  JOURNAL. 

passage  trying  to  get  in,  by  the  soldiers  in  the  yard,  in  my  presence., 
I  being  inside  the  prison  ;  likewise  one  other  man  was  shot  through 
the  thigh.  JAMES  TAYLOR. 

No.  XIV. 

Samuel  Lowdy  having  been  duly  sworn,  deposeth  as  follows  : 
That  he  was  in  the  yard  of  prison  No.  4,  at  the  time  Robert  Haj'- 
Wood  was  shot  by  tke  soldiery.  He  immediately  took  him  up,  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  him  to  the  hospital.  In  the  square  he  met 
Capt.  Shortland,  and  said,  Capt.  Shortland,  this  man  is  very  badly 
wounded — I  want  to  carry  him  to  the  hospital.  Capt.  Shortland  re- 
plied, you  damn'd  son  of  a  bitch,  carry  him  back  to  the  prison  ;  and 
he  was  obliged  to  comply.  After  getting  to  the  prison,  one  of  the  sol- 
diers called  him  back,  and  he  went  up  to  the  square  with  the  man, 
and  met  Capt.  Shortland,  who  said,  heave  him  down  there,  (pointing 
to  a  sentry  box)  and  away  with  you  to  the  prison.  At  that  time  they 
were  firing  in  the  different  yards.  On  leaving  the  square,  we  found 
the  man  was  dead.  SAMUEL  LOWDY. 

John  Battice  having  been  sworn,  corroborates  the  evidence  of  Sam- 
uel Lowdy.  JOHN  BATTICE. 

No.  XV. 

Wittutm  Potter,  having  been  duly  sworn,  deposed — 
That  while  passing  between  No.  5  and  6  prisons,  the  soldiers  com- 
menced firing  from  the  walls  in  three  divisions,  at  a  few  of  u«  ;  at 
that  time  there  were  only  four  prisoners  in  sight.  After  advancing  a 
lew  step?,  I  found  a  man  badly  wounded.  I  stopped  and  picked  the 
man  up  ;  during  which  time  the  soldiers  kept  an  incessant  lire  at  us, 
vs  likewise  till  we  got  to  the  prison  of  No.  5. 

WILLIAM  POTTER. 
No.  XVI. 

T,  Dai-id  S.  Warren,  being  duly  sworn  on  the  holy  evangelists  of 
Alrmgnt}'  Gcci,  depose  rmd  say- 
That,  on  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  April,  when  the  alarm  commen- 
ced, I  was  in  the  lower  part  of  the  yard  iNo.  1  prison.  I  walked  up 
to  the  gate  to  learn  the  cause.  I  there  saw  there  wore  a  number  of 
prisoners  in  the  market  square,  and  a  great  number  of  soldiers  drawn 
up  across  the  same  ;  soon  after  they  charged  on  the  prisoners,  who  re- 
treated out  of  the  square  into  their  respective  prison  }~ards,  and  shut 
-the  gates  after  them.  I  saw  the  soldiers  advance  up  to  the  gates,  and 
heard  Capt.  Shortland  order  them  to  fire,  which  they  not  immediately 
obeying,  1  saw  him  seize  hold  of  a  musket  in  the  hands  of  a  soldier, 
and  direct  it  towards  a  prisoner,  and  heard  him  again  repeat — "fire  ; 
God  damn  you,Jire."  Immediately  afterwards  the  firing  became  gen- 
eral ;  the  prisoners  were  all  endeavoring  to  get  into  the  prisons,  which 
was  attended  with  much  difficulty,  all  the  doors  but  one  being  closed 
— and  further  the  deponent  saith  net. 

DAVID  S.  WARREN. 

No.  XVII. 

We,  the  undersigned,  being  each  severally  sworn  on  the  holy  evan- 
gelists of  Almighty  "God,  for  the  investigation  of  the  circumstances  ^t- 
fending  the  late  horrid  massacre,  and  having  heard  the  deposition*  of 


JOURNAL.  207 

,  evrat  number  of  witnesses,  from  our  own  personal  knowledge,  and 
'he  depositions  given  in  as  aforesaid, 

REPORT  AS  FOLLOWS: 

That  on  the  6th  of  April,  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  wheri 
fhe  prisoners  were  all  quiet  in  their  respective  yards,  it  being  about 
the  usual  time  of  turning  in  for  night,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  pris- 
oners being  then  in  the  prisons,  the  alarm  bell  was  rung,  and  many  oi 
the  prisoners  ran  up  to  the  market  square  to  learn  the  occasion  of  the 
alarm.  There  were  then  drawn  up  in  the  square  several  hundred 
>oldiers,  with  Capt.  Shortland  (the  agent)  at  their  head  ;  it  was  like- 
wise observed  at  the  same  time,  that  additional  numbers  of  soldiers 
were  posting  themselves  on  the  walls  round  the  prison  yards.  One  of 
them  observed  to  the  prisoners,  that  they  had  better  go  into  the  pris- 
ons, for  they  would  be  charged  upon  directly.  This,  of  course,  occa- 
sioned considerable  alarm  among  them.  In  this  moment  of  uncer- 
tainty, they  were  running  in  different  directions,  enquiring  the  cause 
of  the  alarm  ;  some  toward  their  respective  prisons,  and  some  toward 
1he  market  square.  When  about  one  hundred  were  collected  in  the 
square.  Capt.  Shortland  ordered  the  soldiers  to  charge  upon  them, 
which  order  the  soldiers  were  reluctant  hi  obeying,  as  the  prisoners 
were  using  no  violence  ;  but  on  the  order  being  repeated,  they  made 
a  charge,  and  the  prisoners  retreated  out  of  the  square,  into  their  pris- 
on yard?,  and  shut  the  gate  after  them.  Capt.  Shortland,  himself, 
opened  the  gates,  and  ordered  the  soldiers  to  fire  in  among  the  pris- 
oner-, who  were  all  retreating  in  different  directions  towards  their  re- 
spective prisons.  It  appears  there  was  some  hesitation  in  the  minds 
of  the  officers,  whether  or  not  it  was  proper  to  fire  upon  the  prisoners 
in  that  situation  ;  on  which  Shortland  seized  a  musket  out  of  the  hands 
of  a  soldier,  which  he  fired.  Immediately  after  the  fire  became  gen- 
oral,  and  many  of  the  prisoners  were  either  killed  or  wounded.  The 
remainder  were  endeavoring  to  get  into  the  prisons  ;  when  going  to- 
wrmls  the  lower  doors,  the  soldiers  on  the  walls  commenced  firing  on 
them  from  that  quarter,  which  killed  some  and  wounded  others.  Af- 
ter much  difficulty,  (all  the  doors  being  closed  in  the  entrance,  but 
•emu  in  each  pnson)  the  survivors  succeeded  in  gaining  the  prisons  ; 
immediately  after  which,  parties  of  soldiers  came  to  the  doors  of  Nos. 
8  and  4  prisons,  and  fired  several  vollies  into  ,them  through  the  win- 
dows and  doors,  which  killed  one  man  in  each  prison,  and  severely 
wounded  others. 

It  likewise  appears,  that  the  preceding  butchery  was  followed  up 
with  a  disposition  of  peculiar  inveteracy  and  barbarity. 

One  man  who  was  severely  wounded  in  No.  7  prison  yard,  and  bn- 
ing  unable  to  make  his  way  to  the  prison,  was  come  up  with  by  *u» 
soldiers,  whom  he  implored  for  mere}',  but  in  vain  ;  five  of  the  hard- 
ened wretches  immediately  levelled  their  pieces  at  him,  and  shot  him 
dead  on  the  spot.  The  soldiers  who  were  on  the  walls,  manifested 
iqual  cruelty,  by  keeping  up  a  constant  fire  on  every  prisoner  they 
could  see  in  the  yards  endeavoring  to  get  into  the  prisons,  when  their 
numbers  were  very  few,  and  when  not  the  least  shadow  of  resistance1, 
made  or  expected.  Several  of  tu&iu  hud  gyt  into  No.  3  ]  ii«- 


>208  JOURNAL. 

on  cook  house,  which  was  pointed  out  by  the  soldiers  on  the  waifc,  to 
those  who  were  marching  in  from  the  square.  They  immediately  went 
up  and  fired  into  the  same,  which  wounded  several.  One  of  the  pris- 
oners ran  out,  with  the  intention  of  gaining  hjs  prison,  but  was  killed 
before  he  reached  the  door. 

On  an  impartial  consideration  of  all  circumstances  of  the  case,  we 
'are  induced  to  believe  that  it  was  a  premeditated  scheme  in  the  mind 
of  Capt.  Shortland,  for  reasons  which  we  will  now  proceed  to  give. — • 
As  an  illucidation  of  its  origin,  we  will  recur  back  to  an  event  which 
happened  some  days  previous.  Captain  Shortland  was  at  the  time, 
absent  at  Plymouth  ;  but  before  going,  he  ordered  the  contractor,  or 
his  clerk,  to  serve  out  one  pound  of  indifferent,  hard  bread,  instead  of 
x>ne  pound  and  a  half  of  soft  bread,  their  usual  allowance.  This  the 
prisoners  refused  to  receive.  They  waited  all  day  in  expectation  of 
their  usual  allowance  being  served  out ;  but  at  sunset,  rinding  this 
would  not  be  the  case,  burst  open* the  lower  gates,  and  went  up  to 
(he  store,  demanding  to  have  their  bread. 

The  officers  of  the  garrison,  on  being  alarmed,  and  informed  of  these 
proceedings,  observed  that  it  was  no  more  than  right  the  prisoners 
.should  have  their  usual  allowance,  and  strongly  reprobated  Captain 
Shortland,  in  withholding  it  from  them.  They  were  accordingly 
served  with  their  bread,  and  quietly  returned  to  their  prison.  This 
circumstance,  with  the  censures  that  were  thrown  on  his  conduct, 
reached  the  ears  of  Shortland,  on  his  return  home,  and  he  must  then 
have  determined  on  the  diabolical  plan  of  seizing  the  first  slight  pre- 
text to  turn  in  the  military,  to  butcher  the  prisoners  for  the  gratifica- 
tion of  his  malice  and  revenge.  It  unfortunately  happened,  that  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  6th  of  April,  some  boys  who  were  playing  ball  in 
No,  7  yard,  knocked  their  ball  over  into  the  barrack  yard,  and  on  the 
5-entry  in  that  yard  refusing  to  throw  it  back  to  them,  they  picked  a 
.bole  rn  the  wall,  to  get  in  after  it. 

This  afforded  Shortland  his  wished  for  pretext,  and  he  took  his 
measures  accordingly.  He. had  all  the  garrison  drawn  up  in  the  mili- 
tary walk,  additional  numbers  posted  on  the  walls,  and  every  thing 
prepared,  before  the  alarm  bell  was  rung  ;  this  he  naturally  conclud- 
ed would  draw  the. attention  of  a  great  number  of  prisoners  towards 
the  gates,  to  learn  the  cause  of  the  alarm,  while  the  turnkeys  were 
dispatched  into  the  yards  to  lock  all  the  doors  but  one,  of  each  pris- 
on, to  prevent  the  prisoners  retreating  out  of  the  way,  before  he  had 
sufficiently  wreaked  his  vengeance. 

What  adds  peculiar  weight  to  the  belief  of  its  being  a  premeditated, 
determined  massacre,  are, 

First — The  sanguinary  disposition  manifested  on  every  occasion  by 
Shortland,  he  having  prior  to  this  time,  ordered  the  soldiers  to  fire  in- 
to the  prisons,  -through  the  prison  windows,  upon  unarmed  prisoners 
asleep  in  their  hammocks,  on  account  of  a  light  being  seen  in  the  pris- 
ons ;  which  barbarous  -act  was  repeated  several  nights  successively. 
That  murder  was  not  then  committed,  was  owing  to  an  overruling 
.Providence  alone  ;  for  the  balls  were  picked  up  in  the  prisons,  where 
they  passed  through  the  hammocks  of  men  then  asleep  in  them.  He 
jhaying  also  ordered  the  soldiers  to  fire  upon  the  prisoners  in  the  yari 


JOURNAL, 

of  No.  7  prison,  because  they  would  not  deliver  np  to  him  a  man  who 
had  reaped  from  his  cathoi,  which  order  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  soldier?  refused  to  obey  ;  and  generally,  he  having  seized  on  ev- 
ery slight  pretext  to  injure  the  prisoners,  by  stopping  their  marketing 
for  ten  days  repeatedly',  and  once,  a  third  part  of  their  provisions  for 
the  same  length  of  time. 

Secondly — He  having  hdP  heard  to  pay,  when  the  boys  had  picked 
the  hole  in  the  wall,  and  some  lime  before  the  alarm  bell  was  rung, 
while  all  the  prisoners  were  quiet  ,-».-  usual  in  their  respective  yards — 
*;  Pll  fix  the  damned  rascals  directly." 

Thirdly — His  having  all  the  soldier?  on  their  post?,  and  the  garri- 
son fully  prepared  before  the  alarm  bell  rung.  It  could  not  theH,  of 
course,  be  rung  to  assemble  the  soldiers,  but  to  alarm  the  prisoners, 
and  create  confusion  among  them* 

Fourthly — The  soldiers  upon  the  wall,  previous  to  the  alarm  bell 
being  rung,  informing  the  prisoners  that  they  would  be  charged  upon 
directly. 

Fifthly — The  turnkeys  going  into  the  yard  and  closing  all  the  doors 
but  one,  in  each  prison,  while  "the  attention  of  the  prisoners  was  at- 
tracted bv  the  alarm  hell.  This  was  done  about  fifteen  minutes  soon- 
er than  usual,  and  without  informing  the  prisoners  it  was  time  to  shut 
tip.  It  was  ever  the  invariable  practice  of  the  turnkeys,  from  which 
they  never  deviated  before  that  night,  when  coming  into  the  yard  to 
«hut  up,  to  halloo  to  the  prisoners,  so  loud  as  to  be  heard  throughout 
the  yard,  "turn  m,  turn  in  /"  while  on  that  night  it  was  done  so  se- 
cretly, that  not  one  man  in  a  hundred  knew  they  were  shut  ;  and  ift 
particular,  their  shutting  the  door  of  No.  7,  prisoners  usually  go  in  and 
wit  at,  and  which  was  formerly  always  closed  last,  and  leaving  one 
open  in  the  other  end  of  the  prison,  which  was  exposed  to  a  cross 
fire  from  the  soldiers  on  the  walls,  and  which  the  prisoners  had  to  pass 
in  gaining  the  prisons. 

It  appears  to  us  that  the  foregoing  reasons  sufficiently  warrant  the 
conclusion  we  have  drawn  therefrom. 

We  likewise  believe,  from  the  depositions  of  men  who  were  eye 
witnesses  of  a  part  of  Shonland1s  conduct,  on  the  evening  of  the  6th 
of  April,  that  he  was  intoxicated  with  liquor  at  the  time  ;  from  his 
brutality  in  beatiaga  prisoner  then  supporting  another  severely  wound- 
ed, from  the  blackguard  -and  abusive  language  he  made  use  of,  and 
from  his  frequently  having  been  seen  in  the  same  state.  His  being 
drunk  was,  of  course,  the  means  of  inflaming  his  bitter  enmity  against 
the  prisoners,  and  no  doubt  was  the  cause  of  the  indiscriminate  butch- 
ery, and  of  no  quarter  being  given-. 

We  here  solemnly  aver,  that  there  was  no  pre-concerted  plan  to 
attempt  a  breaking  out.  There  cannot  be  produced  the  lea>t  shadow 
of  a  reason  or  inducement  for  that  intention,  because  the  prisoners 
were  daily  expecting  to  be  released,  and  to  embark  on  board  cartels 
for  their  native  country.  And  we  likewise  solemnly  assert,  that  there 
was  no  intention  of  resisting,  in  any  manner,  the  authority  of  tins 
depot. 

18 


210  JOURNAL. 

N.  B.  Seven  were  killed,  thirty  dangerously  wounded,  and  thirty 
slightly  do.  Total,  sixty-seven  killed  and  wounded. 

„  C  Wm.  B.  Gnu,  Wm.  Hobart,         ~] 

§   I  James  Boggs,  James  Mams, 

g  1  J.  F.  Trowbridge^       Francis  Joseph,       }  Committee. 
&      John  Rust,  Henry  JLllen, 

L  Walter  Cotton,  Tho&as  B.  Mott,  j  - 

TsTo.  XVIII.         * 

Letter  from  Mr.  Beasly,  agent  for  American  prisoners  of  war  at  Lon- 
don, to  the  Committee  of  American  prisoners  of  war  in  Dartmoor 
prison. 

Jlgency  for  •American  prisoners  of  tear,  ) 
London,  April  12,  1815.  $ 

GENTLEMEN — It  having  been  stated  in  some  of  the  newspapers 
published  here,  that  the  American  government  intended  to  send  some 
ships  of  war  bound  to  the  Mediterranean,  to  this  country,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  completing  their  crews  from  among  the  prisoners ;  and  having 
been  informed  that  this  idea  has  got  among  the  prisoners,  it  becomes 
my  duty  to  request,  that  you  will  inform  them  that  the  f«ct  is  not  so. 

I  have  already  informed  you  of  the  measures  which  had  been  taken 
to  provide  conveyances  for  the  prisoners.  You  will  let  them  know, 
lhat  eight  large  transports  have  been  engaged,  some  of  which  must  be 
How  at  Plymouth  ;  others  will  follow,  until  the  whole  of  the  prison- 
ers are  sent  off. 

It  is  much  to  be  lamented,  that  at  a  moment  when  every  exertion 
was  making  to  restore  them  to  their  country,  they  sliould  have  fallen 
into  an  excess  which  has  proved  fatal  to  some.  And  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
conceive  how  they  could,  under  such  circumstances,  pretend  to  say, 
that  the  cause  of  this  unfortunate  but  shameful  conduct,  was  the  neg- 
lect of  their  government  or  its  agent.  This,  I  am  informed,  they 
liave  stated  to  the  officers  who  were  sent  to  examine  into  the  affain. 
I  am,  gentlemen,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  G.  BEASLY. 
TJie  Committee  of  the  American  prisoners,  Dartmoor. 

No.  XIX. 

DARTMOOR,  April  14.  1815. 

SIR — Yours,  of  the  12th  inst.  came  to  hand  this  morning.  It  is 
>vitli  astonishment  we  note  its  contents,  that  the  officers  who  came  to 
inquire  into  the  circumstances  of  the  late  unfortunate  affair,  should 
have  informed  you,  that  the  prisoners  stated  to  them  the  cause  of 
that  event  was  that  their  government  or  its  agent  had  neglected  them. 
This  is  a  most  deliberate  falsehood,  let  your  authors  be  who  they  may. 
We  deny  not  that  the  anxiety  of  the  prisoners  to  get  released  from 
here,  has  been  great  ;  they  have  even  censured  you  as  being  dilato- 
ry in  your  preparations  for  that  purpose — but  their  government  the jr 
have  never  implicated — and  you  may  rest  assured,  that  they  have 
too  much  of  the  genuine  spirit  of  Americans,  to  apply  to  the  officer' 
of  a  foreign  government  for  relief,  or  to  make,  them  a  ^^ri /  in  any 
Dispute  with  the  government  or  its  agents, 


JOURNAL.  211 

We  solemnly  assure  you,  that  whatever  anxiety  among  the  prison- 
ers, or  want  of  confidence  in  your  exertions,  as  above  stated,  may 
have  existed  among  them,  that  it  can  in  no  way  be  construed  to  have 
any  collusion  or  connection  with  the  late  event,  and  was  expressly  so 
stated  to  the  admiral,  who  came  here  from  Plymouth, 

We,  on  the  contrary,  in  the  name  of  the  five  thousand'  prisoners 
confined  here,  accuse  Shortland  of  a  deliberate,  pre-determined  act 
of  atrocious  murder — we  have  sufficient  evidence  in  our  possession  to 
prove  it  to  the  world,  and  we  call  on  you  (there  being  at  present  no 
accredited  minister,  or  charge  des  affairs  at  the  court  of  London)  to 
make  strict-inquiries  into  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  and  procure 
all  the  evidence  necessary  for  a  proper  investigation  into  the  same;; 
for  well  do  we  feel  assured,  that  our  government  will  not  thus  suffer 
its  citizens  to  be  sacrificed,  for  the  gratification  of  national  prejudice, 
malice  or  revenge,  of  the  petty  officers  of  a  foreign  state, 

We  are  at  no  loss  to  impute  the  misrepresentation  of  the  British  ofr 
•ficers  to  their  proper  motives.  They  artfully  wish  to  excite  in  your 
breast  a  spirit  of  enmity  and  resentment  against  the  prisoners,  that 
you  might  use  less  perseverance,  or  feel  yourself  less  interested  in 
making  the  ^proper  inquiries  into  the  late  affair. 

With  much  respect,  we  remain.  Sir,  your  most  obedient  and  hum- 
ble servants,  WILLIAM  HOBART, 

WALTER  COLTON. 
HENRY   ALLEN. 

R.  G.  Beasly,  E&q.  Jlgentfor  Prisoners,  London. 

No.  XX. 

Second  Letter  from  Mr.  Beasly  to  the  American  Committee. 
•Agency  for  American  Prisoners  of  War,  ) 
London,  April  14,  1815.          \ 

GENTLEMEN—  My  letter  to  you  of  the  12th  inst.  on  the  subject  of 
the  melancholy  event,  \vas  written  under  an  impression  which  I  re- 
ceived from  a  report  of  it,  transmitted  to  me  by  this  government :  I 
have  since  received  your  report  of  the  circumstances.  Had  I  been 
in  possession  of  the  information  therein  contained,  the  letter  would 
have  been  differently  expressed.  I  am,  gentlemen,  your  obedient 
servant,  R.  G.  BEASLY. 

Committee  of  American  Prisoners,  Dartmoor, 
P.  S.  I  subjoin  an  extract  of  the  report  alluded  to  from  the  Lords 
Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty  : 

"  The  rioters,  it  appear?,  endeavored  to  OVERPOWJER  the  guard,  to 
force  the  prison,  and  had  actually  seized  the  arms  of  some  of  the  sol- 
diers, and  made  a  breach  in  the  walls  of  the  depot,  when  the  guard 
found  itself  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  their  fire  arms,  and  five  of  the 
rioters  were  killed,  and  thirty-four  wounded,  after  which  the  tumult 
subsided,  and  the  depot  was  placed  in  a  state  of  tranquillity  and  se- 
curity. 

"  Admiral  Sir  J.  T.  Duckworth,  Commander  in  Chief  at  Plym- 
outh, having  received  information  of  this  unfortunate  event,  lost  no 
time  in  directing  Rear  Admiral  Sir  Josias  Rowley,  Baronet,  K.  C.  B. 


and  Schomberg,  &e  two  senior  officers  at  that  port,  to  proceed  tQ 
Dartmoor,  and  to  inquire  into  the  circumstances.  Those  officers  ac- 
cordingly repaired  to  the  depot,  where  they  found,  on  examination  of 
ihe  officers  of  the  depot,  and  all  tha  American  prisoners  who  were 
called  before  them,  that  the  circumstances  of  the  riot  were  as  before 
stated  ;  but  that  no  excuse  could  be  assigned  for  the  conduct  of  the 
prisoners,  but  their  impatience  to  be  released  ;  and  the  Americans 
unanimously  declared,  that  their  complaint  of  delay  was  not  against 
the  British  government,  but  against  their  own,  which  ought  to  have 
sent  means  for  their  early  conveyance  home,  and  in  replies  to  distinct 
questions  to  that  effect,  they  declared  they  had  no  ground  of  cQjtfi- 
plaint  whatsoever." 

No,  XXI. 

DARTMOOR,  April  17,  1815. 
To  Rwr  Admiral  Sir  J.  T.  Duckworth. 

SIR — The  officers  whom  you  sent  to  this  place  to  inquire  intp 
tfce  circumstance  of  the  unfortunate  occurrence  of  the  6th  inst.  what- 
ever right  they  had  to  represent  the  conduct  of  Captain  Shortland  in 
the  most  favorable  mannerr  we  conceive  it  an  act  of  grots  injustice 
that  they  should  have  given  to  you  such  a  false  and  scandalous  rep- 
resentation of  what  they  were  told  by  the  prisoners. 

In  the  report  from  the  admiralty  board  to  Mr.  Beasly,  (a  copy  of 
Which  he  has  transmitted  to  us)  it  is  stated  that  the  prisoners,  when 
Called  Opon  to  give  an  account  of  the  circumstances  of  the  6th,  exon- 
erated Captain  Shortland  and  the  English  government  from  any  blame 
respecting  the  same,  and  accused  their  own  government  and  its  agent 
of  being  the  cause. 

We,  on  the  contrary,  folemnly  declare,  that  it  was  expressly  stated 
fo  Admiral  Rowley,  that  whatever  anxiety  might  have  existed  among 
the  prisoners  for  a  speedy  release,  could,  in  no  way  whatever,  be 
construed  to  have  had  any  collusion  or  connection  with  that  event. — 
That  the  prisoner?,  so  far.  from  having  any  idea  of  attempting  to  break 
cut,  if  the  gates  had  been  opened,  and  every  one  suffered  to  go  who 
Blight  wish  to  do  go,  not  one  in  a  hundred  would  have  left  the  prison, 
having  no  means  of  subsistence  in  a  foreign  country,  and  being  like- 
wise liable  to  IMPRESSMENT,  when  by  staying  a  few  days  longer,  they 
Would,  probably,  be  embarked  for  their  native  country. 

They,  on  the  contrary,  accused  Captain  Shortland  of  being  the  sole 
mover  and  principal  perpetrator  of  the  unprovoked  and  horrid  butch- 
ery. 

Conceiving,  from  your  well  known  character  in  the  British  navy 
for  integrity  and  candor,  that  you  would  not  wish  to  have  your  name 
the  medium  of  imposing  such  a  gross  misrepresentation  and  such  di- 
rect falsehood*  on  the  admiralty  board  and  the  British  public,  we  have 
taken  the  liberty  of  thus  addressing  you,  and  have  the  honor  to  sub- 
scribe ourselves,  your  most  obedient  and  very  humble  servants, 

Win.  Hobart,  Walter  Colton,  Henry  Allen,  Thomas  B. 
Mott,  Wm.  B.  Ornc, 

Committee  of  Aiiieriaan  Prisons, 


JOURNAL* 

[In  addition  to  the  documents  furnished  by  the  committee  of  the 
Purtmoor  prisoners,  we  lay  the  following  affidavit  of  Archibald  Tay- 
lor before  ihe  public.  Will  people  doubt  this  evidence  also  ?  Is  it 
likely  that  common  soldiers,  hired  assassins,  would  make  use  of  simi- 
lar expressions  from  their  own  impulses  ?  or  is  it  not  much  more  con- 
formable to  common  sense  to  believe  that  this  was  the  language  held 
by  their  officer?,  and  that  they  echoed  it.] 

City  of  New  York,  ssf 

Archibald  Taylor,  late  commander  of  the  Paul  Jones,  private  arm- 
ed vessel  of  war,  being  duly  sworn,  doth  depose  and  say— 

.That  he  was  a  prisoner  in  Dartmoor  prison  at  the  time  of  the  late 
massacre  of  Americans  ;  that  after  the  affair  of  the  6th  of  April,  and 
on  the  night  of  the  same  day,  he  was  in  the  prison  No.  3,  assisting 
Thomas  Smith,  late  his  boatswain,  who  was  shot  through  his  leg  by 
the  soldiers  in  the  yard,  when  an  order  was  received  to  have  all  the 
wounded  removed  from  the  prisons  to  the  hospital  ;  and  while  this 
deponent  was  carrying  the  said  Thomas  Smith  to  the  door  of  the  pris- 
on, to  deliver  him  to  the  guards  selected  to  receive  him,  some  of  the 
soldiers  observed  to  this  deponent,  "  this  is  in  turn  for  the  affair  at  New 
Orleans,  where  you  killed  our  men,  and  now  we  have  our  revenge"— 
and  farther  this  deponent  saith  not. 

ARCHIBALD  TAYLOR/ 
Sworn  before  me,  this  28th  June,  1815. 

AARON  II.  PALMER,  Molar-.-  Public, 


KING  AND  LARPENT'S  REPORT. 

Plymouth.,  19th  April,  1315. 

\VE  ihe-tindersigned  commissioners,  appointed  on  behalf  of  our  respective  gow 
rmmrnts.to  intjuiie  into  and  report  upon,  the  unfortunate  occurrence  of  the  Gth  Ap- 
ril isist.  at  Dartmoor  Prison  ;  having  carefully  perused  the  proceedings  of  the  several 
courts  of  inquiry,  instituted  immediately  afier  that  event,  by  the  orders  of  Admiral 
Sir  John  T.  Duckworth  and  Major- General  Brown,  respectively,  as  well  as  the  depo- 
sitions taken  at  the  coroner's  inquest  upon  the  bodies  of  the  prisoners,  who  lost  their 
lives  upon  that  melancholy  occasion  ;  upon  which  inquest  the  jury  found  a  verdict  of 
justifiable  homicide;  proceeded  immediately  to  the  examination  upon  oath  in  the 
presence  of  one  or  more  of  the  magistrates  of  the  vicinity,  of  all  the  witnesses,  both 
American  and  English,  who  offered  themselves  for  that  purpose  ;  or  who  could  be  dis- 
covered as  likely  to  afford  any  material  information  on  the  subject,  as  well  as  those 
who  had  been  previously  examined  before  the  coroner, as  otherwise,  to  the  number  in, 
the  whole  of  about  eighty.  We  further  proceeded  to  a  minute  examination  of  the  pri- 
sons, for  the  purpose  of  clearing  up  some  points  which,  upon  the  evidence  alone,  were* 
scarcely  intelligible  ;  obtaining  from  the  prisoners,  and  from  the  ofliet-rs  of  the  depot, 
all  the  necessary  assistance  and  explanation;  and  premising;,  that  we  have  been  from 
necessity  compelled  to  draw  many  of  our  conclusions  from  statements  and  evidence 
highly  contradictory,  we  do  now  make  upon  the  whole  proceedings  the  following  re- 
port:— 

During  the  period  which  has  elapsed  since  the  arrival  in  this  country  of  the  acount 
of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  an  increased  degree  of  restlessness  and  im- 
patience of  confinement  appears  to  have  prevailed  amongst  the  American  prisoners  at 
Dartmoor,  which,  though  not  exhibited  in  the  shape  of  any  violent  excesses,  has  bceu 
principally  indicated  by  threats  of  breaking  out  if  not  soon  released. 


their  demand?  loving  been  then  almost  immediately  complied  wit't^  ttfr  r 

»b.eir  own  yards,  and  the  employment  of  force  on  that  occasion  brcame  nm.ewmrv. 

On  the  evening  of  the  6th,  about  6  o'clock,  it  was  clearly  proved  to  us,  that  a  bread  4-  - 
or  hole  ha;1  been  made  in  one  of  the  prison  walls,  sufficient  for  a  full  si/.ed  man  to- 
pass,  and  that  others  had  been  commenced  in  the  course  of  the  day  near  the  same  spot, 
though  never  completed. 

That  a  number  of  the  prisoners  were  over  the  railing  erected  to  prevent  them  from 
communicating  with  the  centinels  on  the  walls,  which  was  of  course  forbidden  by  th« 
regulations  of  the  prison,  and  that  in  the-  space  between  the  railing  and  those 
they  were  tearing  up  pieces  of  turf,  and  wantonly  pelting  each  other  in  a  noisy  aavl 
disorderly  manner. 

That  a  much  more  considerable  number  of  the  prisoners  was  collected  together  at 
that  time  in  one  of  their  yards  near  the  place  where  the  breach  was  effected,  arid  that 
although  such  collection  of  prisoners  was  not  unusual  at  other  times  (the  Gambling. 
Tables  being  commonly  kept  in  that  part  of  the  yard)  yet,  ^yhen  connected  with  the 
circumstances  of  the  breach,  and  the  tune  of  the  day,  which  was  after  the  hour  the  si.; 
rial  for  the  prisoners  to  retire  to  their  respective  prisons  hud  ceased  to  sound,  it  be- 
came a  natural  anJ  just  ground  oi'alarm  to  tiiose  who  had  charge  of  the  depot. 

3-t  was  also  in  evidence  that  in  the  building  formerly  the  petty  officer*1  prison,  bn.r 
now  the  guard  barrack,  which  stands  in  the  yard  to  which  the  hole  in  the  wail  would- 
serve  a?  a  communication,  a  part  of  the  anus  of  the  guard  who  were  off  duty,  were  us- 
ually kept  in  the  racks,  and  though  there  was  no  evidence  that  this  was.  in  any  ivspecr, 
the  motive  which  induced  the  prisoners  to  make  the  opening  in  the  w;i!!.  or  "even  that 
they  were  ever  acquainted  with  the  fact,  it  naturally  became  at  least  a  further  cause  of 
suspicion  and  aJarm,  and  an  additional  reason  for  precaution. 

Upon  these  grounds  captain  Short  land  appears  to  us  to  have  been  justified  in  gh  Inff- 
the  order,  which  about  this  time  he  seems  to  have  given,  to  sound  the  alarm  bei- 
muaf  signal  fur  collecting  the  officers  of  the  depot  and  putting  the  military  «n  the 
akru 

However  reasonable  and  justifiable  this  was  as  a  measure  of  precaution,  the-  effect* 
{Roduet.fltb.fi    ''•>  in  the  prisons,  but  which  could  not  have  been  intended,  wen 
unforiHDttv.  '-••:.  deeply  to  be  regretted.    A  considerable  number  of  the  prisoners  m 
th.  •         .>  disturbance  existed  before,  and  who  wire  either  already  within 

•  xjns,  or  quietly  retiring  as  usual  towards  them,  immediately  upon 
L'theb.ll  rushed  back  from  cuviosuy  (as  it  appears)  towards  tite  gates,. 
v  IK  •!•<  :,  _  t'iMt  tmif..  the  crowd  had  assembled.  and  many  who  were  at  the  time  absent 
from  their  yards,  were  also  from  the  plan  of  the  prison,  compelled,  in  order  to  reach 
their  own  homes,  to  pass  the  same  spot,  and  thus  that  which  was  merely  a  measure  of 
precaution,  in  its  operation  increased  ihe  evil  it  was  intended  to  prevent.  Almost  at 
*he  same  instant  that  (be  alarm  bell  rung,  (but  whether  before  or  subsequent  is  upor» 
the  evidence  doubtful,  though  captain  Short  land  states  it  possitively  as  one  of  his  fur- 
ther reasons  for  causing  it  to  ring)  some  one  or  more  of  the  prisoners  broke  the  iron 
chain,  which  was  the  only  fastening  of  No.  1  gate,  leading  into  market  square  by 
means  of  an  iron  bar  ;  and  a  very  considerable  number  of  the  prisoners  immediately  " 
gushed  towards  that  gate;  and  many  of  them  began  to  pms  forwards  as  fast  a*  the 
openii.g  would  permit  into  the  square. 

Ther<i  was  no  direct  proof  before  us  of  previous  concert  or  preparation  on  the  part 
®f  the  prisoners,  and  no  evidence  or'tlmr  intention  ordisposition  to  effect  their  escape 
en  this  occasion,  excepting  that  which  arose  by  inference  from  the  whole  of  the  above 
fc  tailed  circumstances  connected  together. 

The  natural  and  almost  irresistible  inference  to  be  drawn,  however,  from  the  con» 
duct  of  the  prisoners  by  captain  Shortland  and  the  military  was.  th;it  an  intention  onr 
the  part  of  the  prisoners  to  escape  was  on  the  point  of  being  carried  into  execution, 
and  it  was  at  least  certain  that  they  were  by  force  passing  beyond  the  limits  prescribed 
«o  them  at  a  time  when  they  ought  to  have  been  quietly  going  in  for  the  night,  it 
also  in  evidence  that  the  outer  gates  of  the  market  square  were  usually  opened 
about  this  time  to  let  the  bread  waggons  pass  and  repass  to  the  3tores  although  at  the 
period  in  question  they  were  in  fact  closed. 

Undi'/  these  circumstances,  and  with  these  impressions  necessarily  operating  upon 
•nind:  and  a  knowledge  that  if  the  prisoners  mice  penetrated  through  the  squitic, 
^Jie  p<)  ver  -nf  escape  was  almost  to  a  certainty  afforded  to  them,  if  they  sLould  bf  so 
imposed  ;  captain  Shoitiand  in  the  first  iiistance.proeeeded  down  the  square  tovsaals 
•:.*e  prisoners,  having  ordered  a  part  of  the  different  guards,  to  the  number  of  about 
only  at  first,  (though  they  were  increased  afterwards)  to  follow  him.    For  some 
Wh  he  iMi-l  Dr.  Magrath  endeavored  by  quiet  means  and  persuasion,  to  induce 
VM:  ;;ri:<."iers  to  return  to  their  own  yards,  explaining  to  them  the  fatal  consequences 
«.hl«h  p.'irt  ensue  if  they  refused,  as  the  military  would  in  that  case  be  nettssursly 
to  employ  forse.    The  ghaixl  was  by  this  tizre  formed  in  (lie  rvnr  of  ,tap- 


Ic'ui  ebofttand,  about  two  thinla  of  the  way  down  the  square  —  the  latter  is  about  one 
••:u;;*red  feet  broad,  and  the  guard  extended  nearly  a-ft  across.    Captain  Sfconlaiid, 
41  v«rsmwion  was  aU  la  TMJH,  suj-i  ihzt.  akhoogU.  some  were  ictiuved  hy  it  tv 


JOURNAL. 


215 


•fcake  nn  effort  to  retire,  others  pressed  on  in  considerable  numbers,  at  last  ordered 
nbotit  15  file  of  the  guard,  nearly  in  front  of  the  gate  which  had  been  forced, to  charge 
lilt-  prisoners  back  to  their  own  yards. 

'The  prisoners  were  in  some  places  so  near  the  military,  that  one  of  the  soldiers  states 
tlvit  he  could  not  come  fairly  down  to  the  charge  ;  and  the  military  were  unwilling  to 
Mtt  against  an  enemy.  Some  struggling  ensued  between  the  parties,  arising  partly 
,rom  intention,  but  mainly  from  the  pressure  of  those  behind  preventing  those  in  front 
i'rom  getting  back.  *  After  some  little  time,  however,  this  charge  appears  to  have  beeu 
so  far  eiteetive,  and  that  with  little  or  no  injury  to  the  prisoners,  as  to  have  driven 
them  for  the  most  part  qnite  down  out  of  the  square,  with  the  exception  of  a  small 
number  who  continued  their  resistance  about  No.  1  gate. 

A  great  crowd  still  remained  collected  after  this  in  the  passage  between  the  square 
and  the  prisoners'  yards,  ami  in  the  part  of  those  yards  in  the  vicinity  of  the  gates.— 
This  asiv-mbhge  still  refused  to  withdraw,  aud  according  to  most  of  the  English  wn- 
•^i.-S'iis  and  some  of  the  American,  was  making  a  noise,  hallowing,  insulting  and  pro- 
w/king, and  daring  the  military  to  fire,  and  according  to  the  testimony  of  several  of 
The  soldiers,  and  some  others,  were  pelting  the  military  with  large  stones,  by  which 
Some  of  them  were  actually  struck.  This  circumstance  is,  however,  denied  by  many 
of  the  American  witnesses;  and  some  of  the  English,  upon  having  the  question  put 
to  them,  stated  that  they  saw  no  stones  thrown  previously  to  the  firing,  although  tin -\v 
situation  at  the  time  was  such  as  to  enable  them  to  see  moat  of  the  proceedings  in  the 
square. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  firing  commenced.— With  regard  to  any  order  having 
been  given  to  fire  the  evidence  is  very  contradictory.  Several  of  the  Americans  swear 
positively,  that  captain  Shortlnnd  gave  that  order  ;  but  the  manner  in  which  from  the 
confusion  of  the  moment,  they  described  this  part  of  the  transaction,  is  so  different  in 
•:.;  details  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  reconcile  their  testimony.  Many  of  the  soldiers 
.tr.d  other  English  witnesses,  heard  the  word  given  by  some  one.  but  no  one  of  them 
«;iia  swear  it  was  by  captain  Shortland,  or  by  anyone  in  particular,  and  some,  amongst 
,  lioin  is  the  olticer  commanding  the  guard,  think,  if  captain  bbortlaud  had  givm 
s-.c'ii  an  order  that  they  must  have  heard  it,  which  they  did  not.  In  addition  to  liiis 
vaptuin  Shortland  denies  the  fast;  and  i'rom  the  situation  which  he  appears  to  have 
been  plated  at  the  time,  even  according  to  the  American  witnesses,  in  front  of' the 
>:• ldiers.it  may  appear  somewhat  improbable  that  he  should  then  have  given  such  ;IH 
onU'r. 

But.  however,  it  may  remain  a  matter  of  doubt  whether  the  firing  first  began  in  the 
square  by  order,  or  was  a  spontaneous  act  of  the  soldiers  themselves,  it  seemed  cit-uv 
tivut  it  was  continued  and  renewed  both  there  and  elsewhere  without  orders;  and  thnt 
on  the  platforms,  and  in  several  places  about  the  prison,  it  was  certainly  commenCvd 
w  i!  hout  any  authority. 

The  fact  of  an  ord<  r  having  lx;en  given  at  first,  provided  the  firing  was  underlie 
existing  circumstances  justifiable,  does  not  appear  very  material  in  any  other  point  of 
view,  than  as  shewing  a  want  of  self  possession  and  discipline  in  the  troops  if  they 
should  have  fired  without  order. 

With  regard  to  the  above  most  important  consideration,  of  whether  the  firing  was. 
justifiable  or  not,  we  are  of  opinion,  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  from  ihr. 
apprehension  which  the  soldiers  might  fairly  entertain,  owing  to  the  numbers  and  con-* 
duct  ol  the  prisonen,  that  this  firing  to  a  certain  extent  was  justifiable  in  a  military 
point  of  view,  in  order  to  intimidate  the  prisoners,  and  compel  them  thereby  to  desis't 
from  all  acts  of  violence,  and  to  retire  as  they  were  ordered,  from  a  situation  in  which 
the  responsibility  of  the  agents,  and  the  military,  could  not  permit  them  with  safety  to 
remain. 

From  the  fact  of  the  crowd  being  so  close  and  the  firing  at  first  being  attended  witla 
rery  little  injury,  it  appears  probable  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  muskets  were,  as 
v.uTX'd  by  ot^  or  two  of  the  witnesses,  levelled  over  the  heads  of  the  prisoners;  a  cir- 
-  .1. stance  in. some  respects  to  be  lamented,  as  it  induced  them  to  cry  out  "blank 
cartridge};"  and'ftfcrely  irritated  and  encouraged  them  to  renew  their  insults  to  the 
scldieryrwhieh  produced  a  repetition  of  the  firing  in  a  manner  much  more  destructive. 

The  tiring  in  the  square  having  continued  for  sorrw;  time,  by  which  several  of  the 
prisoners  sustained  injuries,  the  greater  part  of  them  appear  to  have  been  running 
a:ick  with  the  inmost  precipitation  and  confusion  to  their  respective  prisons,  and  the 
tause  for  further  firing  seems  at  this  period  to  have  ceased.  It  appears,  accordingly, 
that  captain  Shortland  was  in  the  market  square  exerting  himself  aud  giving  order*  to 
that  eiiect,  end  that  lieutenant  Fortye  had  su«ceeded  in  stopping  the  nre  of  his  part 
»f  the  guard. 

Under  these  circumstances,  it  is  very  difficult  to  find  any  justification  for  the  further 
•ontinuance  and  renewal  of  the  firing,  which  certainly  touk  place  both  in  the  prison 
yards  ami  elsewhere  ;  though  we  have  some  evidence  of  subsequent  provocation  given 
TO  the  military,  and  romance  to  the  turnkeys  in  shutting  the  prisons,  and  of  stonts 
fc;i:ig  thrown  out  from  within  the  prison  doors. 

Tiie  subsequent  firiug  voitei-  aystar*  to  l»ve  arises  from  tfie  state  of  iwliridual  ij-ri- 


m 


216  JOURNAL. 

tiition  anJ  exasperation  on  the  part  of  the  soldiers,  who  followed  tlie  prisoners  into 
tlicir  yards,  ai'd  from  tuo  absence  of  nearly  all  of  the  officers  who  might  have  re- 
strained it.  as  well  as  from  the  great  difficulty  of  putting  an  end  to  a  tiring  when  om;e 
commenced  under  such  circumstances.  Captain  ShortJand  was  from  this  dme  busjiy 
occupied  witli  the  turnkeys  in  the  square,  receiving  and  taking  care  of  the  wounded. 
Ensign  Wit ite  remained  with  his  guard  at  the  breach,  and  lieutenants  Ayelyne  and 
Fortye,  the  only  other  subalterns  known  to  Lave  been  present,  continued  with  the 
main  bodies  of  their  res  pec 'ive  guard*. 

The  time  of  the  day,  which  was  the  officers' dinner  hour,  will  in  some  measure  ex- 
plain this,  as  it  caused  the  absence  of  every  officer  from  the  prison  whose  pr*  senco 
was  not  indispensable  there.  And  this  circumstance  which  has  been  urged  39  an  ar- 
gument to  prove  the  intention  of  the  prisoners  to  take  this  opportunity  to  escape, 
tended  to  increase,  the  confusion,  and  to  prevent  those  great  exertions  being  made 
which  might  perhaps  have  obviat»d  a  portion  at  least  of  the  mischief  which  ensued. 

At  tin-  sr.me  time  that  the  firing  was  going  on  in  the  square,  a  cross  tire  was  also 
kept  u;>  from  several  of  the  platforms  on  the  walls  round  the  prisoners  where  the  sen- 
tries stand,  by  strangling  parties  of  soldiers  who  ran  up  there  for  that  purpose..  As 
far  as  this  fire  was  directed  to  disperse  the  men  assembled  round  the  beach  lor  which, 

Surpose  it  was  most  effectual,  it  seems  to  stand  upon  the  same  ground  as  that  in  the 
r»t  instance  in  the  square.— That  part  which  it  is  positively  sworn  was  directed 
against  straggling  parties  of  prisoners  running  about  the  yards  and  endeavoring  TO 
enter  in  the  few  doors  which  the  turnkeys,  according  to  their  usual  practice,  had  left 
open,  does  seem,  as  stated,  to  have  been  wholly  without  object  or  excuse,  and  to  have 
hi-en  a  wanton  attack  upon  the  lives  of  defenceless,  and  at  that  time,  unoffending  in- 
dividuals. 

In  the  same,  or  even  more  severe  terms,  we  must  remark  upon  what  was  proved  as 
to  the  firing  in  the  door-ways  of  the  prisons,  more  particularly  into  that  of  No.  3  pri- 
son, at  a  ti:ne  when  the  men  were  in  crowds  at  the  entrance.  From  tlie  position  of 
the  prison  and  the  door,  and  from  t!  e  marks  of  the  balls  which  v/tre  pointed  out  to  us, 
as  well  as  from  the  evidence,  it  was  clear  this  firing  must  have  proceeded  from  sol- 
diers a  very  few  feet  from  the  door  way  ;  and  although  it  was  certainly  sworn  that 
the  prisoners  were  at  the  time  of  part  of  the  firing  at  least,  continuing  to  insult  and  oc- 
casionally to  throw  stones  at  the  soldiers,  and  that  they  were  standing  in  the  way  of, 
and  impeding  the  turnkey,  who  was  therefor  the  purpose  of  closing  the  door,  yet  still 
there  was  nothing  stated  which  could,  in  our  view,  at  all  justify  such  excessively  harsh 
and  severe  treatment  of  helpless  and  unarmed  prisoners,  when  all  idea  of  escape  was 
at  an  end. 

Under  these  impressions,  we  used  every  endeavor  to  ascertain  if  there  was  the  least 
prospect  of  identifying  any  of  the  soMicrs  who  had  been  guilty  of  the  particular 
i  utrages  here  alluded  to,  or  of  tracing  any  particular  death,  at  that  time  to  the  firing 
of  any  particular  individual,  but  without  success;  and  all  hopes  of  bringing  the  of- 
fenders to  punishment  would  seem  to  be  at  an  end. 

In  conclusion,  we.  the  undersigned,  have  only  to  add,  that  whilst  we  lament,  as  we 
do  most  deeply,  the  unfortunate  transaction  which  has  been  the  subject  of  this  inquiry, 
we  find  ourselves  uuuble  to  suggest  any  steps  to  be  taken  as  to  those  parts  of  it  which 
seem  to  call  for  redress  atid  punishment. 

(Sinned)  CHAHLES  KING, 

FllANCIS  SEYMOUR  LARPENT. 

Plymouth,  April  26,  1315. 

SFR— In  pursuance  of  the  instructions  received  from  Messrs.  Clay  and  Gallutin.  I 
nave  now  the  honor  to  transmit  to  you  the  report  prepared  by  Mr.  Larpent  and  myself 
<m  be-half  of  our  respect  ive  governments,  in  relation  to  the  unfortunate  transactions  at 
Dartmoor  Prison  of  War,  on  the  6th  of  the  present  month.  Considering  it  of  much 
importance  that  tlie  report,  whatever  it  might  be.  should  go  forth  «nder  our  .iomt 
signatures,  I  have  forborne  to  press  some  of  the  points  which  it  involve?,  as  far  as 
otherwise  I  might  have  done,  and  it  therefore  may  not  be  improper  in  this  letter  tf 
enter  into  some  little  explanation  of  such  parts  ot  the  report. 

Althourrl;  it  does  appear  that  a  part  of  the  prisoners  were  on  that  evening  in  such  a 
state,  and  under  such  circumstances  as  to  have  justified  in  the  view  which  the  com- 
mander of  the  depot  could  not  but  take  of  it,  the  intervention  of  the  military  force, 
and  t  v,-n  in  a  strict  sense,  the  first  use  of  lire  arms.  jx>t  I  cannot  bm  express  it  as  my 
settled  opinion,  that  by  conduct  a  little  more  temporising  this  dreadful  alternative  of 
firing  upon  unarmed  prisoners  might  have  been  avoided.  Vet  as  this  opinion  has 
been  the  retail  of  subsequent  examination,  and  after  baring  acquired  a  knowledge 
of  the  comparatively  harmless  state  of  the  prisoners,  it  may  be  but  fair  to  consider. 
whether  in  such  n  moment  of  confusion  and  alarm,  as  that  appears  to  have  been,  tli 
officer  commanding  eonld  hr.ve  fairly  estimated  his  danger,  or  have  measured  out  wall 
precision  the  extent  ai>d  nature  of  the  force  necessary  to  guard  against  it. 

But  vrlitu  tlie  firing  became  geutnU,  as  it  afterwards  appears  ;o  uavc  been,  »:• 


~ 


JOURNAL.  217 

caught  w.  ith  electric  rapiflity  from  the  square  to  the  platforms,  there  is  no  plea  nor  sha- 
dow  of excuse  lor  it,  except  in  the  personal  exasperation  of  the  soldiery,  upr  for  the 
more  deliberate, and  therefore  more  unjustifiable  firing  which  took  place  into  three 
of  the  prisons.  No.  1,  3  and  4,  but  more  particularly  into  No.  3,  after  the  prisoners 
had  retired  into  them,  and  there  was  no  longer  any  pretence  of  apprehensions,  as  to 
tlu'ir  escape— Upon  this  ground,  as  you,  sir,  will  perceive  by  the  report,  Mr.  Larpent 
a<id  myself  had  MO  difference  of  opinion,  and  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  my  own  regret 
was  not  greater  than  his  at  perceiving  how  hopeless  would  be  the  attempt  to  trace  to 
any  individuals  of  the  military  these  outrageous  proceedings. 

As  to  whether  the  order  to  fire  came  from  captain  Shortland.  I  yet  confess  myself 
unable  to  form  any  satisfactory  opinion,  though  perhaps  the  bias  of  my  mind  is,  that 
lie  did  Rive  such  an  order.  But  his  anxiety  and  exertions  to  stop  it  after  it  had  con- 
tinued for  some  little  time,  are  iully  proved,  and  his  general  conduct  previous  to  this 
occurrence,  as  far  as  we  could  with  propriety  enter  into  such  detail*,  appears  to  hav« 
been  characterized  with  givat  fairness,  and  even  kindness,  in  the  relation  in  which 
he  stood  towards  the  prisoner*. 

On  die  subject  of  any  complaints  against  their  orvn  government  existing  among  the 
prisoners,  it  was  •invariably  answered  to  several  distinct  questions  put  by  me  on  that 
head,  that  none  -tofwtsoeivr  existed  or  had  been  expressed  <->y  them,  although  they  con- 
fessed themselves  to  entertain  some  animosity  against  Mr.  Btasly.  to  whom  they  at- 
tributed their  detention  in  this  country  ;  with  what  justice,  yon,  sir.  will  he  better  able 
to  judge.  They  made  no  complaint  whatsoever  as  to  their  provisions  and  general 
mode  of  living,  aud  treatment  in  the  prison. 

I  have  transmitted  to  Mr.  Beasly,  a  list  of  the  killed  and  wounded  on  this  rnelstv 
eholy  occasion,  with  a  request  that  he  would  forward  it  to  the  United  States,  for  the 
information  of  their  friends  at  home,  and  I  am  pleased  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  say, 
that  the  wounded  are  for  the  most  part  doing  well. 

I  have  also  enclosed  to  Mr.  Heasly,  the  notes  taken  by  me  of  the  evidence  adduced 
before  us,  with  a  request  that  he  would  have  them  fairly  copied,  as  also  a  copy  of  the 
de positions  taken  before  the  Coroner,  and  desired  him  to  submit  them  to  you  when 
in  order. 

I  cannot  conclude,  sir,  without  expressing  my  high  sense  of  the  impartiality  and 
manly  fairness  with  which  this  enquiry  has  been  conducted  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Lar» 
pent,  nor  without  mentioning  that  every  facility  was  afforded  lo  us  in  its  prosecution, 
as  well  by  the  military  officers  commanding  here  and  at  the  prison,  as  by  the  magis> 
'.rates  in  the  vicinity. 

1  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  much  respect,  your  RWJt  obedient  humble  servant. 

(Signed)  CHARLES 

-reffe.wy  John  P.  Adam*,  &$,  £?'<> 


DARTMOOR  PRISON. 

A  Return  t>f  American  prisoners  of  war  killed  and  noutided  in  an  attempt  to  force  thff 
military  g'tarrt  on  the  evening  of  the  Qth  of'  April,  1815. 


''%%% 

Whether  man 

3 

•  u~  ^  3 

Names. 

Quality. 

Ship, 

of  war,  mt-r- 

Remark?* 

iH.? 

chant  Vi-ssci 

i  *  n  "I. 

or  privateer 

'§ 

.   -18  '!4 

y?o 

3134 

f  Wm.  Lrveridge, 
^  j  James  Mann, 
^  1  John  Haywood, 

Seaman, 
do. 
do. 

Enterprise,  prize  to 

Siro,        [Saratoga. 
Gave  himself  up 
from  H.   M.  Ship 

Pnvateer, 
Lett.  Marque, 

Impws'd. 

t*i 

Scipion. 

1347 

O 

Jo.  T.  Johnson, 

do. 

Paul  Jones, 

Privateer, 

'  3936 

Ljohn  Washington, 

do. 

Rolla, 

Merch.  vessel, 

6520 

"Tho.  Jackson, 

Boy, 

Gave  ftimtflf  up 
from  H.   M.  Ship 

Imp.  died 
Ap.7,1815 

Pontes. 

2647 

James  Campbell, 

Seaman,!    Gave  himself  up 
Ifrtrm  H.  M.  Ship 
IFclonUiirCi 

Imp.  died 
Ap.7,1815 

5769 

John  Gier, 

do.       [Rambler, 

Merch.  vessel, 

i   1722 

William  Penn, 

do.      IDispatch, 

do. 

Impres'd, 

« 

1 

at  London 

5003 

Cornel.  Garrison, 

do.      'invincible. 

Lett.  Marque 

3614 

H.  Hontcalm, 
Robert  Willet, 

do. 
do. 

Homt-by.p.  G.Tom. 
Gave  himself  up 

Privateer, 

Impres'd. 

from  H.   M.   Ship 

Andromache, 

5326 
2148 

John  Poach, 
Edw.  Wittlubark, 

do. 
do. 

Enterprise, 

Gave  himself  up 

Privateer, 

Impres'd. 

from   H.  M.  Ship 
Ro.  William, 

1881 

James  Thornbull, 

Boy, 

Elbridge  Gerry, 

Privateer, 

3652 

James  Wells, 

Seaman. 

Thorn, 

do. 

1236 

Philip  Ford, 

do. 

Gave  himself  up 
from  H.M.  S.'Suh. 

Impres'd. 

685 

a 

James  Bell, 

do. 

Joel  Barlow, 

Merch.  vessel, 

94 

^5 

John  Grey, 

do. 

St.Martin'sPlanter. 

dp- 

436 
1024 
1546 
486 

UN  PEP. 

Win.  Leverage, 
Edw.  Gardner, 
Stephen  Phipps, 
John  Roberts, 

do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 

Magdalene, 
Joseph, 
Zebra. 
Two  Brothers, 

do. 
do. 
Lett.  Marque, 

Impres'd. 
at  Cork. 

1640 
1819 

Thomas  Smith, 
Caleb  Codding, 

do. 

do. 

Paul  Jones, 
Gave  himself  up 

Privateer, 

Impres'd. 

from  H.   M.   Ship 

'Swiftsure, 

5015 
2013 
380 
2834 

John  Davis, 
James  Esdaille, 
Peter  Wilson, 
Win.  Blake, 

do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 

Charlotte.p.toMam 
G.Tomkiiis,  [moth. 
Virginia  Planter, 
Gave  himself  ufj 

Privateer, 

do. 
Merch.  vessel. 

Impres'd. 

from  H.M.  S.Rcpu. 

338 

John  Hogabets, 

2*1  Mate,;  Good  Friends, 

Merch.  vessel. 

4153 

Eph.  Lincoln, 

Seaman,  JAreus. 

do. 

4493 

Thomas  FirnUay, 

do. 

Enterprise, 

Privateer, 

4109 
1228 

John  Howard, 
Joseph  Masiek, 

do. 
do. 

Flash. 
Gave  himself  up 
from  H.  M.  Ship 

do. 

Impres'd. 

6123 
1312 

Robert  Fillez, 
John  Willet, 

do. 
do. 

Grand  Turk, 
GaMmselfupfrom 

Privateer, 

Impres't?. 

j 

If.  3r.  .9.  Rosaria. 

3030 
1  2662 

Juhn  Perry, 
.John  Wilson, 

do. 
do. 

DofrHM  X'ri,.,c>: 
PofHMS  Fortune:. 

JniprcsU 
Jinpus'd 

(Signed)                  THOMAS  GEORGE  SHOHTLAND, 

(Signed)                  GEORGE  MAGRATJI,  £<;;v:<Vf. 

JOURNAL,  219 

Heply  to  KING  and  LARPENT'S  Report 

To  the  People  of  the  United  States. 


Having  penned,  with  attention,  the  report  of  Mr.  CHARLES 

and"  FfXAHtis  SEYMOUR  LARPENT,  on  their  examination  of  the 
•innate  occurrence  at  Dartmoor,  on  the  6th  of  April  last  :  * 

"VYK,  the  undersigned,  being  there  at  the  time  this  ttnforlunate  oc- 

e  took  plaee,"deem  it  a  duty  we  owe  to  the  surviving  sufferers 

Moody  transaction,  to  our  fellow  citizens,  and  ourselves,  to 

Make  some  remarks   upon  such  a  singular  report.     Although  we  pre- 

sume the   door  is   forever  closed  against  any  further  investigation  of 

that  ever  to  be  remembered  transaction,  we  cannot  help,  however 

contrary  it  may  be  to  our  wishes  to  irritate  the  public  feeling,  already 

so  much  excited,  entering  into,,  a  detailed  investigation  of  that  report. 

In  the  committee's  address  to  the  public  on  the  27th  of  June  last, 

iing  the  publication  of  the  affidavits  of  some  of  the  prisoners,  ta- 

ken on  that  melancholy  affair,   they  have  justly  anticipated  what 

sv  ou  Id   be  the  report  of  the  commissioners,  after  their  investigation  ; 

they  drew  their  conclusions  from  the  singular  manner  in  which  the  in- 

vestigation was  conducted.     The  report  commences  by  stating,  that, 

after  carefully  perusing  the  proceedings  of  the  several  courts  of  inqui- 

rv,  instituted  immediately  after  that  event,   they  proceeded  immedi- 

iitcJy  to  the  examination,'  upon   oath,  of  ALL  the  witnesses,   both 

American  and  English,   who  offered  themselves  for  that  purpose.— 

How  far  this  part  of  the  report  is  correct,  we  shall  leave  the  public 

to  judge. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  commissioners  at  the  depot,  the  committee  of 

the  prison  were  sent  for  ;  after  waiting  some  time   at  the  door  of  the 

room,  where  the  inquiry  was  held,  they  were  culled  in  separately  and 

questioned  as  to  their  knowledge  of  the  transactions  of  the  sixth.  — 

The  depositions  of  those'  who  were  eye  witnesses  of  that  disgraceful 

srt  no  ware  token  ;  some  were  questioned   as  to  the  general  conduct 

ef  £Iiortland,  previous  to  that  affair  ;  it  was  represented  by  them  as 

it  would  have  been  by  aL\  as  being  universally  cruel,  overbearing  and 

oppressive.     After  having  finished  the   examination  of  the  committee, 

they  requested  them  to  bring  forward  all  the  evidence  that  was  likely 

to  cast  any  light  on  the  subject  of  inquiry.     They  accordingly  re- 

turned into  the  prison,  and  drew  up  a  list  of  the  names  of  some  of  the 

eye-witnesses  of  that  day's  occurrence.     Although  they  could  lu;ve 

brought  hundreds  to  the  examination,  and  the  sum  of  whose  evidence 

would  have  amounted  to  the  same,  yet  the  committee  not  wishing  t» 

impede  the  progress  of  the  investigation,  by  a  redundancy  of  evidence, 

they  were  careful  to  select  such  men  as  were  most  likely  to  give  a 

u(i  distinct  account,  of  all  the  circumstances  as  they  occurred 

-<\icir  knowledge,  taking  care,  at  the  same  time,   to  procure 

different  situations  afforded  them  an  opportunity  of  wit- 

transaction,  from  the  commencement  to  the  close.    Sr.cit 

•juce  the  committee  had  selected,  to  the  number  of  about 

.  ERY  FEW  of  whom  ivere"  ever  examined,  although  they 


220  JOURNAL. 

kept  waiting  in  the  turnkey's  lodge  (where  they  were  ordered  to  stay 
Until  called  ibr)  during  the  hours  of  investigation.  In  the  course  of 
the  inquiry,  it  seems,  the  commissioners  found  it  necessary  to  survey 
the  particular  situation  of  the  prisons,  and  the  points  from  which  the 
different  attacks  were  made  ;  they  accordingly  came  into  the  yard 
for  that  purpose,  and  after  having  been  shown  all  the  places  from 
xvhonce  the  firing  was  continued,  where  the  crowd  of  prisoners  had 
assembled  on  the  first  alarm,  kiid  where  the  hole,  so  much  made  a 
handle  of,  had  been  made — after  a  slight  survey  of  these  different  pla- 
ces, they  retired  into  their  session  room,  leaving  orders,  once  more, 
tvith  the  committee  to  hold  their  evidence  in  readiness,  as  they  would 
soon  be  called  upon  for  examination.  The  committee  replied  that 
they  had  been  in  readiness  since  the  commencement  of  the  inquiry, 
and  were  then  only  waiting  their  orders  to  appear  before  them,  feel- 
ing happy  in  the  idea  of  having  it  in  their  power  to  show  to  the  court, 
and  to  the  world,  by  the  evidence  they  had  to  produce,  that  the  at- 
tack of  Shortland  on  the  defenceless  prisoners,  was  premeditated  and 
unjustifiable  in  ANY  point  of  view. 

After  attending  in  the  turnkey"1*  lodge  during  the  sitting  of  the  com- 
missioners, until  the  middle  of  the  third  day,  without  having  but  very 
few  of  the  evidences  sent  for,  and  being  fearful  that  they  might  be 
waiting  ibr  them,  the  committee  sent  them  word  that  the  witnesses  were 
still  in  attend unce.  No  answer  being  returned  to  this  message  for 
some  time,  the  committee  became  uneasy  on  account  of  the  long  ex- 
amination of  the  officers,  soldiers,  clerks,  arid  turnkeys,  attached  to 
the  depot,  without  admitting  the  prisoners  to  an  equal  privilege  ;  and 
understanding  the  commissioners  Avere  about  closing  their  inquiry, 
they  again  sent  word  they  would  be  glad  to  have  an  interview  for  a 
few  moments,  for  the  purpose  of  explaining  the  nature  of  Iheir  evi- 
dence, and  the  necessity  of  a  full  hearing  on  both  sides  of  the  ques- 
tion. No  ANSWER  BEING  RETURNED  TO  THIS  REttUEST,  and  still 

waiting  with  the  anxious  hope  that  they  would  soon  send  for  some  of 
us,  when  we  were  told  by  one  of  the  turnkeys,  that  the  commissioners 
Were  prepared  to  depart,  having  finished  the  examination.  Astonish- 
ed to  think  they  meant  to  leave  the  depot  without  clearly  investigat- 
ing the  circumstances  that  were  the  cause  of  their  meeting,  and  feel- 
ing indignant  that  a  cause  of  so  much  importance  should  be  passed 
over  so  partially,  the  committee  addressed  a  note  to  Mr.  King,  beg- 
-ging  him  not  to  shut  the  door  of  communication  against  the  prisoners, 
by  closing  the  inquiry  without  giving  them  the  privilege  of  a  hearing, 
as  the  greatest  part  of  our  witnesses  were  yet  unexamiued,  and  their 
evidence  they  eonceived  to  be  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  inves- 
tigation. JVb  reply  was  mads  to  this  note  ;  but.  in  a  few  moments, 
we  were  told,  that  the  commissioners  had  left  the  depot.  How  far 
they  are  justifiable  in  saying  they  examined  ALL,  the  evidences  that 
offered  themselves,  we  think  is  sufficiently  shewn. 

The  commissioners  next  go  on  to  mention  the  insurrection  of  the 
prisoners  about  the  bread,  on  the  4th,  two  days  previous  to  the  event*, 
the  subject  of  that  inquiry.     Although  the  report  correctly  stai. 
^prisoners  quietly  returned  to  their  own  yards,  after  their  demands  hav- 
*figi»ceu  complied  with,  Mr.  King  forgot  to  mention,  that  itwasclearjgr 


JOURNAL. 

r"j,r<  -ented  to  him,  had  the  prisoners  been  so  disposed,  on  that  night, 
ihcy  could  have  easily  made  their  escape.  Although  that  transaction 
had  nothing  to  do,  as  relates  to  the  prisoners,  with  the  events  of  the 
Mb,  we  merely  represent  this  circumstance  to  show,  that  there  was 
no  intention  whatever  on  their  part  to  break  out  of  the  prison,  as 
Shortland  and  his  adherents  have  attempted  to  prove. 

The  report  now  goes  on  to  mention,  that  on  the  evening  of  the  6th 
of  .April,  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  a  hole  was  made  in  one  of 
the  Avails  of  the  prison  sufficient  for  a  full-sized  man  to  pass,  and  oth- 
ers had  been  commenced,  but  never  completed,  and  that  a  number  of 
the  prisoners  were  over  the  railing  erected  to  prevent  them  from  com- 
municating with  the  sentinels  on  the  walls,  and  that  they  were  tear- 
ing up  pieces  of  turf,  and  wantonly  pelting  each  other,  in  a  noisy 
manner. 

As  to  the  hole  made  in  the  wall,  we  believe  the  causes  and  rea- 
sons have  been  already  sufficiently  explained  by  the  affidavits  laid  be- 
fore the  public.  With  respect  to  the  prisoners  being  between  the 
iron  paling  and  the  wall,  it  could  have  been,  if  it  was  not,  easily  ex- 
plained to  Mr.  King,  had  he  given  an  opportunity.  It  seems,  that  on, 
the  afternoon  of  the  6th,  some  of  the  prisoners  having  obtained  leave 
of  the  sentinels  on  the  walls  to  go  over  and  lay  upon  the  grass,  others 
hvfing  them  laying  so  much  at  their  ease,  went  over  to  enjoy  the  same 
privilege  ;  and  as  the  sentinels  made  no  objection  to  this  proceeding, 
the  number  was  soon  increased  to  such  a  degree,  that  it  became  no 
longer  an  enjoyment  to  those  who  first  obtained  the  privilege  ;  some 
scuffling  then  ensued  among  themselves,  and  they  began  to  pelt  each 
other  with  turf  and  old  shoes,  principally  in  play,  and  among  so  many, 
no  doubt,  their  must  have  been  considerable  noise  ;  but  how  they  can 
possibly  connect  this  circumstance  with  the  hole  made  in  the  wall, 
is  entirely  out  of  our  power  to  conceive,  as  the  iron  railings  separated 
them  from  the  pretended  breach  in  the  wall,  and  distant  from  it  more 
than  half  the  length  of  the  yard  ;  of  course,  had  the  hole  been  intend- 
ed as  a  breach,  the  iron  paling  would  have  become  a  barrier,  instead 
of  facilitating  the  means  of  an  escape- 
As  to  that  part  of  the  report  which  mentions  the  guard-barracks  be- 
ing the  repository  for  the  arms  of  the  guard  off  duty,  and  of  its  stand- 
ing in  the  yard  to  which  the  hole  in  the  wall  would  serve  as  a  com- 
munication, and  of  its  being  a  further  cause  of  suspicion  and  alarm  to 
Captain  Shortland — to  one  acquainted  with  the  situation  of  the  pris- 
on, such  an  idea  would  be  ridiculous  ;  but  to  those  who  are  not  ac- 
quainted with  it,  it  will  be  only  necessary  for  us  to  mention,  that  if 
the  prisoners  had  the  intention  of  breaking  out  through  this  passage, 
and  had  actually  got  into  the  barrack-yard,  the  difficulties  they  would 
then  have  to  encounter  would  be  much  greater  than  to  break  a  pas- 
sage through  the  market  square,  or  the  back  part  of  the  yard.  As  to 
the  idea  of  their  possessing  themselves  of  the  muskets  standing  in  the 
racks  in  the  guard-barracks  (even  if  the;y  knew  of  any  being  there)  it 
i«  childish  ;  for  how  easy  would  it  have  been  for  the  commanding  of- 
ficer, on  the  shortest  intimation  of  such  an  attempt,  with  one  blast  of 
hi?  bugle,  to  have  called  all  his  guards  to  the  spot  before  a  hundredth 
19 


222  JOURNAL. 

part  of  the  prisoners  could  have  got  into  the  yard,  and  by  that  mean? 
instantly  put  a  stop  to  any  further  proceedings  on  their  part. 

We  cannot  conceive  how  Mr.  King  can  poe.-ibly  come  forward  arid 
say,  on  these  grounds,  it  appeared  to  him  that  Captain  Shortland  was 
justified  in  giving  the  order  for  sounding  the  alarm  bell,  -when,  if  he 
found  the  prisoners  were  conducting  themselves  improperly,  hud  he- 
sent  for  the  committee  (as  always  had  been  his  custom  heretofore, 
when  he  had  any  charge  against  the  prisoners  for  improper  conduct) 
and  told  them  that  the"  prisoners  were  breaking  the  wall  (which  cir- 
cumstance, as  has  been  published  before,  was  not  known  to  one  tenth 
of  the  prisoners)  and  requested  them  to  have  represented  to  those  en- 
gaged in  it,  the  consequences  that  must  ensue  if  they  persisted  in  such 
conduct,  we  have  not  a  moment's  hesitation  in  saying,  they  would 
fcave  put  a  stop  to  any  further  proceedings  of  that  kind. 

That  part  which  relates  to  the  breaking  of  the  iron  chain  which 
fastened  No.  1  gate,  and  which  follows  next  in  the  report,  says  there 
was  no  evidence  to  show  whether  it  was  done  before  or  after  the 
alarm  bell  rang.  As  this  was  a  material  point  on  which  they  grounded 
Shortland's  justification,  we  have  to  regret  that  the  evidence  we  had 
to  lay  before  the  commissioners,  and  which  would,  in  our  opinion, 
Iiave  sufficiently  cleared  up  that  point,  was  not  examined. 

On  the  ringing  of  the  alarm  bell,  the  rush  towards  the  gates  leading 
ifcto  the  market  square  was  so  great  (attracted  as  has  been  before  stat- 
ed by  curiosity)  that  those  in  front  were  irresistibly  pushed  forward 
by  those  in  the  rear,  and  if  the  chain  had  not  broke,  the  lock  must 
have  given  way  to  the  pressure,  and  by  this  opening,  it  is  but  natural 
to  suppose,  that  a  number  must  have  been  shoved  into  the  square,  iu 
front  of  the  soldiers,  who  were  drawn  up  in  a  line  across  the  square., 
wi<h  Shortland  at  their  head. 

If,  as  the  report  now  gees  on  to  stale,  there  was  no  direct  proof 
fcefore  them  of  a  previous  concert  or  preparation  on  the  part  of  the 
prisoners,  and  no  evidence  of  their  intention  or  disposition  to  effect 
their  escape  on  this  occasion,  excepting  that  which  arose  by  inference 
from  the  whole  of  the  detailed  circumstances  connected-together,  had 
Mr.  King  examined  the  evidence  on  the  part  of  the  prisoners,  as  mi- 
nutely as  it  seems  he  examined  those  on  the  part  of  Shortland,  he 
could  not  even  have  drawn  the  shadow  of  em  inference  of  that  being 
their  intention. 

Where  the  commissioners  got  their  evidence  for  assert  fog  that 
Captain  Shortland,  by  quiet  means  and  persuasion,  endeavored,  to 
persuade  the  prisoners  to  retire  into  their  respective  yards,  is  unac- 
countable to  us,  as  those  who  know  Captain  Shortland,  know  he  h 
Bot  a  man  of  persuasion.  It  is  correct  that  Dr.  M'Grath  used  every 
exertion  to  persuade  the  prisoners  to  retire  out  of  the  square,  which  ii" 
ShorOand  had  allowed  sufficient  time,  would  have  been  quietly  done ; 
but  the  crowd,  by  this  time,  had  become  so  great,  and  the  pressure 
from  the  rear  so  strong,  that  those  in  front  could  not  retreat  until  time 
should  be  allowed  for  those  in  the  rear  to  fall  back,  but  the  hasty, 
haughty,  and  overbearing  temper  of  Shortland,  could  not  allow  him  ta 
use,  such  conciliatory  means.  He  orders  (the  report  ?ay=)  fifteen  uk- 
of  ttie  guard  fronting  the  open,  gate,  to  the  charge  ;  and  after  some 


JOURNAL.  2^o 

time  the  charge  was  so  effectual,  with  but  very  little  or  no  inju- 
ry to  the  prisoners,  as  to  drive  them,  for  the  most  part,  quite  out  of  the 
-square,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  number  who  continued  their 
resistance  about  No.  1  gate.  Under  these  circumstances,  continued 
the  report,  the  firing  commenced. 

Here  we  beg  leave  to  request  an  attentive  perusal  of  the  affidavits 
of  some  of  the" prisoner?,  taken  by  the  committee,  and  which  relate 
particularly  to  this  part  of  the  transaction.  It  is  there  positively  stat- 
ed, that  on  the  soldiers  coming  to  the  charge,  tiie  prisoners  ALL  re- 
treated into  the  yard,  and  pushed  the  gate  to  after  them.  If  the  com- 
missioners had  examined  the  evidence,  this  part  of  the  report  ought 
to  have  been  differently  expressed. 

We  cannt>t  conceive  how  Mr.  King  finds  it  difficult  to  reconcile  the 
testimony  respecting  Captain  ShortlaruPs  giving  the  orders  to  fire  ; 
when  he  reports  that  SEVERAL  of  the  Americans  SWEAR  POSITIVELY, 
that  Captain  Shortland  gave  that  order — and  many  of  the  soldiers  and 
the  English  witnesses  heard  the  word  given  by  some  one,  but  could 
not  swear  it  was  by  Captain  Shortland  ;  and  some  of  them  (among 
whom  is  the  officer  commanding  the  guard)  THINK,  if  Captain  Short- 
land  had  given  such  an  order,  they  must  have  heard  it,  which  they 
did  not.  Thus,  then,  stands  the  foundation  for  tliis  part  of  the  report. 
An  English  officer  THINKS  it  is  not  so,  and  several  Americans  SWEAR 
it  i.f  so  ;  and  he  finds  it  very  difficult  to  reconcile  their  testimony. — 
The  lightness  with  which  th»y  seerrt  to  have  passed  over  this  most  im- 
portant point  of  that  day's  transaction,  cannot  but  be  deeply  regret- 
ted by  those  who  feel  for  the  unhappy  sufferers,  when  they  go  on  to 
state,  "  It  may  remain  a  matter  of  doubt  whether  the  firing  first  began 
in  the  square  by  an  ORDER,  or  whether  it  was  a  spontaneous  act  of 
the  soldiers  themselves  ;  it  seemed  clear  it  was  continued^  and  renewed 
both  there  arid  elsewhere,  without  orders — und  that  on  the  platforms 
and  several  places  about  the  prison  it  was  certainly  eom/ntnced  with' 
out  any  authority."  We  must  once  more  request  the  attention  of 
*he  public  to  the  affidavits  already  published  ;  it  is  there  sworn  by  one 
of  the  witnesses,  that  PREVIOUS  to  the  alarm  bell  being  rung,  and 
while  walking  in  the  yard,  a  soldier  called  to  him  from  the  wa/£y,  and 
told  fiim  to  go  in.  as  thty  would  soon  be  fired  upon.  How,  then,  can 
it  be  possible,  that  a  soldier  on  the  walls  should  know  that  they  would 
soon  be  fired  upon,  if  the  order  had  not  been  previously  given  to  that 
effect  ?  And  had  the  bugle-man  been  examined,  he  could  have  stated, 
that,  previous  to  the  ringing  of  the  alarm  bell,  he  received  orders  to 
sound  fo  fire  ;  so  that  when  the  soldiers  took  their  stations  on  the 
walls,  they  were  charged  and  prepared  for  that  purpose.  With  such 
information,  we  conceive  the  committee  to  stand  fully  justified  in  stat- 
ing in  their  report,  the  belief  of  its  being  a  pre-concerted  plan,  on  the 
part  of  Shortland  ;  and  if  the  commissioners  had  possessed  them- 
selves with  a  knowledge  of  these  circumstances,  which  they  could 
and  ought  t6  have  done,  would  they,  then,  reported  Shortland  as  jus- 
tifiable, even  in  a  military  point  of  view  ? 

The  next  thing  we  have  to  notice  in  the  report  is,  that  very  singu- 
lar paragraph,  which  says,  u  from  the  fact  of  the  crowd  being  so  close, 
and  the  filing  oijirst  being  attended  with  ury  little  wjury^ 


224 

probable,  that  a  lar^e  proportion  of  the  muskets  xrere,  as  stated  by 
one  or  two  of  the  witnesses,  levelled  over  the  heads  of  the  prisoner?, 
a  circumstance,  in  some  respects,  to  be  lamented."  h  it,  then,  to  be  la- 
mented, that  the  soldiers  did  not  level  their  pieces,  on  the  first  fire;, 
directly  into  the  crowd,  which  they  have  stated  to  be  so  great  and  so 
close  that  a  soldier  declared  he  could  not  come  fairly  down  to  a  charge  ? 
or  is  it  to  be  lamented,  that  one  or  two  hundred  were  not  killed  at  the 
first  discharge,  and  a  thousand  or  two  wounded  ?  If  so,  we  think  it 
much  to  be  lamented,  that  the  reporters  were  not  there,  and  placed' 
foremost  in  the  crowd. 

The  circumstance  of  so  few  being  hurt  at  the  first  discharge  is  not 
strange  to  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  situation  ;  and  this  oc- 
currence alone  corroborates  <3ie  American  evidence,  and  ought  lo 
have  been  sufficient  proof  to  thevcommissioners,  that  the  prisoners  up- 
on being  charged  upon,  retreated  through  the  gates,  and  shut  them 
after  them,  before  the  firing  commenced  ;  and  which  circumstance, 
alone,  should  hove  shut  the  door  of  justification  against  Shortland  foe 
commencing  a  fire  upon  them,  as  they  were  in  their  own  yards.  As 
this  was  the  actual  situation  of  the  prisoners  on  the  first  discharge,  and 
the  soldiers  having  to  fire  through  the  iron  paling,  and  the  prisoners, 
retreating  on  a  descending  ground,  of  course  brought  the  musket?, 
"when  down  to  a  level,  over  the  heads  of  the  prisoners — it  was  owing 
lo  tim  fortunate  circumstance  that  so  few  were  injured  on  the  first 
<jisehc.rge  of  the  musketry  ;  and  it  seems  the  inhuman  Shortland  was- 
aware  of  tki«  circumstance,  when  he  was  distinctly  heard  to  order  his 
soldiers  to  fire  low.  This  does  not  appear  to  correspond  with  that 
part  cf  then  report  which  says,  *;  Captain  Shortland  was  in  the  mar- 
ket square,  exerting  hintteif  in  giving  orders  to  stop  the  firing." 

That  there  was  any  provocation  givdh  to  the  soldiers  to  justify  -their 
subsequent  brutal  conduct,  the  commissioners  themselves  seem  to 
find  it  very  difficult  to  trace  any  evidence,  although  they  say,  it  ap- 
vtr.rs.  that  there  was  some  resistance  made  to  the  turnkeys  in  shut- 
ting the  prison,  and  that  stones  were  thrown  at  the  military.  Had 
they  examined  the  prisoner?  sufficiently,  they  would  have  been  con- 
vinced that  no  resistance  was  made  lo  the  turnkeys  in  shutting  the 
door-.  As  to  throwing  stones  ut  the  military,  while  they  were  chasing 
•ff.im  from  corner  to  corner,  and  firing  at  them  in  every  place  where 
they  had  taken  shelter  from  the  balls,  could  it  be  expected  but  they 
would  teize  on  something  for  self  defence,  when  they  saw  the  sol- 
tliers  running  at  them  with  their  bayonets,  and  having  no  possible 
means  of  escape,  as  it  bus  been  before  stated,  all  the  doors  in  the 
prirons  had  been  previously  closed  except  one,  and  that  one  perhaps, 
the  length  of  the  prison  from  him.  Is  there  a  man,  in  such  a  situation, 
but  would  seize  on  the  first  weapon  that  offered  itself,  and  sell  his  life 
as  dear  as  possible.  How  can  they,  then,  make  that  the  slightest  jus- 
tification for  such  outrageous  conduct  on  the  part  of  Shortland  or  the 
military  ? 

As  to  most  of  the  officers  being  absent  is  erroneous  ;  it  could  have 
been  proved  that  there  was  an  officer  in  every  yard,  and  in  one  in- 
Ft:>r»ce  where  he  was  heard  to  give  the  order  to  fire  on  a  party  of  prk-- 
*>nf  rs  close  by  the  door,  and  nmninj  and  making  every  exertion  t*> 
enter  the  prises , 


225 

As  fo  Captain  Shortland  being  busy  in  the  square  with  the  turnkeys, 
receiving  and  taking  care  of  the  wounded,  certainly  shows  the  com- 
missioners' want  of  correct  information,  for  it  is  already  before  the 
public,  in  affidavit,  the  cruel  manner  in  which  the  wounded  were 
treated  by  him,  and  of  his  abuse  to  the  prisoners  who  were  bearing  the 
wounded  xto  the  hospital  gate.  That  part  of  the  report  which  relates 
that  the  time  and  commencement  of  this  transaction  was  the  officers' 
dinner  hour,  is  too  ridiculous  for  a  comment.  We  do  not  believe 
that  there  was  a  prisoner  in  the  depot  that  knew  when  or  where  the*1 
officers  dined,  and  therefore,  can  be  no  ground  for  an  argument,  that 
the  prisoners  were  taking  this  opportunity  to  escape. 

The  report  goes  on  to 'state,  "  the  cross  fire,  which  was  kept  up 
from  several  of  the  platforms  on  the  walls  round  the  prison,  and  di- 
rected against  straggling  parties  of  prisoners,  running  about  the  yard, 
endeavoring  to  enter  the  prison  by  the  door  which  the  turnkey  left 
open,  according  to  their  usual  practice,  does  seem  to  have  been  with- 
out object  or  excuse,  and  to  have  been  a  wanton  attack  upon  the 
lives  of  defenceless,  and,  at  the  same  time,  unoffending  individuals.'' 
In  answer  to  this  paragraph,  we  shall  only  reply,  that  had  the  com- 
missioners examined'  ALL  the  American  evidence,  and  attached  the 
same  credit  to  it,  which  it  appears  they  have  done  to  ALL  the  Eng- 
lish evidence,  similar  expressions  would  have  been  made  use  of  against 
Sbortland's  conduct  throughout  the  whole  of  their  report. 

It  appears  to  us,  after  an  attentive  examination  of  this  report,  that 
the  commissioners  meant  to  justify  Shortland  in  commencing  his  mur- 
derous attack  upon  the  prisoners,  and  to  condemn  the  soldiers  for 
continuing  it.  Singular  as  this  idea  appear.*,,  it  is  no  less  strange  to 
us,  how  it  can  be  possible  they  could  reconcile  it  to  their  feelings  to 
make  up  a  report  containing  such  a  direct  contradiction  to  reason  ; 
for  surely  if  Shortland  could  be  justified  in  using  coercive  measures 
in  the  first  instance,  the  military  certainly  should  be  acquitted  for  the 
subsequent  massacre,  as  the  whole  was  conducted  under  his-  immedi- 
ate command  ; — and  if  he  had  A  RIGHT  to  kill  one,  on  the  same 
ground  he  might  have  extended  it  to  a  thousand,  And,,  on  the  other 
hand,  if  any  part  of  the  transaction  is  to  be  condemned,  Shortland 
should  answer  for  the  whole  ;  for  what  necessity  could  there  be  made 
to  attempt  mdentifying  any  of  the  soldier.-  ?  Basely  the  commission- 
ers could  not  think  of  bringing  them  to  punishment,  as  they  acted  by 
the  direct  orders  of  Shortland  and  his  officers  !• — and  if  any  one  could 
cr  ought  to  be  made  to  answer  for  the  outrage,,  it  should  be  Shortland. 

In  addition  to  the  contradictions  contained  in  the  commissioners* 
joint  report,  Mr.  King,  in  his  ktte?  to  his  excellency  J.  Q...  Adams,  al- 
most .denies  the  ground  oiv  which  they  have,  i-i  part,-  founded  Short-- 
land's  justification,  when  he  say-i  (alluding- to  have  heard  several 
Americans  snvear.,  posilitrly^  that  Shortland  dkl  give  ths  order-  to  fire,, 
and  an  eiiicep  of  'the  guard  thinking  that  he  did  net,  as  he  should  have 
heard  him)  u  perhaps  the  bias  of  my  miivl'  was,  that  Shorland  did 
give  that  order  ;  and  wishing  the  report  to  go  forth  und^r.  our joini. 
s^iiature.?,  I  forbore  to  press  some  oi'  the  points  so  far  as  otherwise  I 
r  have  done." 

If.  taen,  any  part  has  be^n  Begleciedj  or  pass 


226  JOURNAL. 

dation.  or  any  other  purpose  (and  one  there  certainly  has,  in  not  Cor- 
ing the  same  attention  to  the  American  as  vras  done  to  the  Englisti 
evidence)  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  Mr.  King  should  so  far  forget  the 
sacred  duties  attached  to  the  appointment  of  a  commissioner^  en- 
quire  into  the  murder  of  his  countrymen,  as  to  pass  over  any  points 
\vhich  might  have  brought  to  light  the  means  of  punishment  i'or  the 
murder,  or  obtained  in  some  measure  an  indemnity  for  the  surviving 
unhappy  suil'erer-. 

Will  not  the  shades  of  the  departed  victims  haunt  him  in  his  mid- 
night slumber?,  and,  pointing  to  their  lacerated  bodies,  say,  these  still 
remain  unavenged  ?  Will  not  the  unhappy  survivors  show  the  stumps 
of  their  amputated  limbs,  and  sayT  these  wounds  fester,  and  still  re- 
iriuiii  unatoiicd  I  "Will  not  the  widow  and  the  helpless  orphan  raise 
their  innocent  hands  to  heaven,  and  cry,  why  was  justice  denied  us  ? 
Why  was  the  heart  so  callous  to  our  sufferings  ?  And  why  was  the. 
bosorn  shut  to  sympathy  ?  Let  Mr.  King  point  out  some  means  to 
appease  these  bitter  complaints,  and  we  shall  be  satisfied. 

We  shall  now  close  these  unpleasant  remarks,  by  noticing  another 
unaccountable  error  in  Mr.  King's  letter  to  Mr.  Adams,  where  he- 
mentions,  speaking  of  Shortland,  u  and  his  general  conduct,  previous 
to  this  occurrence,  as  far  as  I  could  with  propriety  enter  into  such  de- 
tails, appears  to  have  been  characterized  with  great  fairness,  and  even 
kindness,  in  the  relation  in  which  he  stood  towards  the  prisoners." — 
We  shall  not  pretend  to  ask  Mr.  King  where  he  obtained  the  evi- 
dence on  which  he  grounds  this  assertion  -r  we  are  sure  it  was  not 
from  the  prisoners,  who  oiight  to  have  been  the  best  judges  of  that 
circumstance ;  but.  instead  of  all  that,  all  the  Americans  who  were 
permitted  to  express  an  opinion  on  that  subject,  at  the  examination, 
declared,  without  reserve,  as  would  all  the  prisoners  in  the  depot,  had 
they  been  asked  the  question,  that  ShortlandTs  conduct,  from  the 
.commencement  of  his  appointment  to  that  station,,  had  been  cruel, 
oppressive,  and  overbearing ;  and.  instead  of  taking  measures  to  alle- 
viate the  distresses  of  the  wretched  objects  under  him,,  as  a  feeling 
jnsn  \yo\ild  have  done,  he  seemed  to  take  a  pleasure  in  hanassing 
them  whenever  he  could  mid  the  slightest  pretext  for  so  doing. 

W.  Col  Ion.  Joseph  Swain,  ArrlCd  Taylor,  David  Ingalls,  Reuben? 
JtrcMd  I.  Mac-kay,  Philip  Llack,  Homer  Hall,  James  B*. 
*  .Alr^m  JWIntire,  Wr.i.  Cochran,  Htnnj  Dottirer,  John 
>->K  Wm,  .Demcr'.IL  Thomas  Ward,  WiltiamK.  Whitt, 


227 


REMARKS. 


35ii  presenting  to  the  world  the  record  of  a  transaction,  probably  the  most  barbarous- 
vhich  the  history  of  modern  warfare  can  furnish,  we  cuui.ot  rt train  from  remarks— 
Whatever  our  feelings  may  be-,  upon  a  subject  so  amply  calculated  to  excite  the  indigna- 
tion 1,1  id  abhorrence,  of  every  in;  i,d  to  huuUETiity,  anU  every  one  who  has  respect  for  the 
ktw«  of  tivilized  and  mitigated  wanare,  we  will,  nevertheless,  refrain,  so  far  as  the  cir- 
cumstances of  outraged  humanity  will  permit,  from  the  violence  of  invective,  and  whol- 
ly from  unwarranted  crimination".  Those,  into  whose  hands  these  documents  may  iall, 
will,  however,  pn  serve  them  as  a  monument  erected  to  the  memory  of  their  slaughtered 
countrymen,  and  a  memento  ot  the  unfeeling  crutlty  of  our  late  enemy. 

Though  we  are  far  from  believing  that  there  are  not  persons  of  noble  and  humane 
minds  in  the  English  nation,  yet,  a  uniformity  of  conduct,  on  the  part  of  the  Govern- 
ment and  its  agents,  h;u  taught  tu  to  believe  that  they,  at  least,  are  blood  thirsty  and 

The  incarceration  of  Americans  in  the  Jersey  Prison  Ship  at  New-York,  and  Mill  Pri- 
son, in  England,  m  the  Revolutionary  war,  raised  its  the  minds  of  the  sainted  heroes  of 
those  times', the  most  exalted  Kelings'of  indignation  and  abhorrence.  The  history  of 
those  prisoners,  where  hundreds  were  compelled  to  wear  out  an  existence,  rendered 
miw-rabie  by  the  cruelty  of  an  enemy,  professing  a  reverence  for  the  sublime  principles 
of  Christianity,  is  already  familiarised  to  the  minds  of  the  American  people.  If  the 
feelings  of  Americans  were  then  indignant,  what  should  they  be,  on  beholding  those 
cruelties  renewed  with  more  th:>.n  ten  fold  severity  ?  The  conduct  of  Thomas  George 
Shortlaud,  the  agent  at  Dartmoor  Prison,  is  such  as  should  "  damn  him  to  everlasting 
fame." 

Upon  what  principles  the  conduct  of  this  man,  precedent  to  the  ever  memorable  6th 
of  April,  1815,  can  be  justified,  we  cannot  determine.  The  indiscriminate  confinement 
of  both  oillcers  and  men  in  the  same  prisons,  and  those  the  most  unfit,  decayed,  and  loath- 
some of  any  which  the  Government  coukl  furnish,  was  an  infraction  of  the  established 
laws  of  civilized  nations  for  the  treatment  of  prisoners  of  war.  It  was  equally  abhor- 
rent to  the  principles  of  humanity,  ai;d  only  sanctioned  by  British  governmental  agents, 
and  those  petty  Nations  of  Savages,  whose  known  usages  of  warfare  have  hitherto  kept 
them  beyond  the  pale  of  national  law.  The  history  of  modern  European  wars  can  fur- 
nish uo'paralkl  to  this  part  of  the  history  of  Dartmoor.  But  when  we  arrive  at  the 
slaughter  of  prisoners  on  the  6th  of  April,  the  climax  of  barbarity  is  complete,  and  t>u? 
mind  is  sated  with  the  contemplation  of  principi  s  as  shocking  to  humanity  as  the  con- 
sequences are  degrading  to  the  character  of  the  English  nation. 

An  euiineut  writer  upon  national  law,  has  formerly  extolled  the  "  English  and  French 
fbr  their  treatment  given  to  prisoners  of  war,"  and  at  the  same  time  mentions  the  case 
of  Charles  I.  King  of  Naples,  who,  having  defeated  and  taken  prisoner  Conrade,  his 
competitor,  caused  bun,  together  with  his  fellow-prisoner,  Frederick  of  Austria,  to  be 
beheaded  at  Naplrs.  Upon  this  case  our  author  has  the  following  pertinent  remarks  :— 
"  This  barbarity  raised  an  u;/A\rsal  horror,  and  Ptte?  the  third.  King  of  Arragon,  re- 
proached Charles  with  it,  as  a  detestable  crime,  till  then  unheard  of  among  Christian 
princes.  Ho\\  ever,  the  case  was.  of  a  dangerous  rival  contending  with  him  for  the  thrones 
But,  supposing  the  claims  of  his  rival  were  unjust,  Charles  might  have  kept  him  in  pri- 
son until  he  liad  renounced  them,  and  given  security  for  his  future  behavior."  If  this 
sift  of  Charles  raised  an  "  universal  horror,"  what  should  be  the  excitement  produced  by 
the  cold  blootkd  massacre  of  a  number  of  unarmed  and  unoffending  prisoners  of  war  in 
confinement  ?  Humanity  shudders  at  the  thought,  and  language  furnishes  no  appropri- 
ate epithet  with  which  to  brand  the  infamous  perpetrator  of  so  foul,  so  liitherto  unhi  ard 
of  a  crime.  Did  that  writer  i,ow  live-,  he  would  no  longer  extol  the  humanity  of  th«; 
English  nation,  but  in  common  with  the  friends  of  humanity,  he  would  join  in  the  "  uni- 
\t-rsal  horror"  which  British  cruelty  has  excited. 

The  complexion  of  this  transaction  is  tendered  still  more  dark  and  barbarous,  and  its 
criminality  most  shockingly  enhanced,  by  the  circumstances  under  which  many  of  those 
unfortunate  men  became  prisoners,  and  finally  were  offered  up.  as  victims  to  gratify  the 
cruel  and  insatiate  feeling  of  the  British  agent.  They  were  Ammcau  Citizens,  who  had 
been  impressed  into,  the  sendee  and  bondage  of  Great  Britain,  in  time  of  peace.  They 
had  served  that  government  from  a  necessity,  arising  from  the  assumed  principle  of  a 
right  to  search  neutral  vessels  for  British  seamen,  and  the  practice  of  taking  Americans 
and  compelling  them  to  service.  We  canuox,  however* too  much  applaud  the  magnan- 
imity of  those  inen,  in  refusing  to  tight  against  and  slaughter  their  countrymen^  nor 
<  an  we  too  much  detest  the  conduct  of  Great  Britain,  in  confining  them  as  prisoners  or 

This  practice  assumed  as  a  right  in  the  first  moment*  of  our  existence  as  an  indepen- 
dent and  commercial  nation, bus  "grown  with  our  growth,"  and  the  evil  thereof  has  in- 
m fl.sed  in  proportion  as ;  our  commercial  rival&hip  has  become  more  ahtrn>iug  to  the 
•jriide  suit!  injustice  of  Great  Britain,  It  is  a  praofjet  whteh  cannot  be  traWfltQ  %»£ 


228  JOURNAL. 

principle  of  justification;  and  yet  we  have  seen  the  legislators  of  Mas^chu^'m,  clotltfd" 
with  a  garb  of  official  sanctity,  send  to  the  world  a  report,  amounting  almost  to  a  denial, 
tuat  such  a  practice  was  in  existence  !  We  pretend  not  to  judge  of  their  motivts :  but, 
we  remark,  how  soon  they  are  confounded  by  the  report  of '  Shortland  and  MagrMh. 
By  that  instrument  it  appears,  that  of  thirty-tight  who  were  killed  or  wounded,  uuku 
were  of  the  number  of  Impressed  Amtricans,  w:ho  had  given  themselves  up  as  prisonn-s 
of  war,  upon  the  commencement  of  hostilities.  If  this  be  tlie  correct  proportion  01'  ih«  ir 
prisoners,  who  have  been  impressed  from  American  vtssi-ls,  ai.d  as  it  is  an  official  docu- 
ment of  British  authority,  we  cannot  believe  the  ratio  to  b;j  k  «,  we  see  the  advocates  of 
British  magnanimity  confounded  and  put  to  shame,  by  the  testimony  of  those  same  Brit- 
ish agents,  whose  justification  they  have  so  eagerly,  though  unsuccessfully  attempted. 
It  might,  indeed,  have  been  supposed,  that  after  having  so  frequently  been  treated  with 
the  same  contempt,  they  might  have  learned  sufficient  caution,  at  least,  to  stay  then- 
measiu-es  until  the  pleasure  of  their  transatlantic  friends  should  be  known.  But  their 
overweening  anxiety  has  only  tended  to  plunge  them  in  deentr  emharraMiuents,  and 
should  teach  them,  that  more  prudence  and  It  ss  zeal  in  the  cause  of  a  national  enemy, 
might  secure  them  a- safer  retreat  in  the  moments  when  those  whose  friendship  thty  had 
so  anxiously  sought,  had  deserted,  and  condemned  them. 

By  the  report  of  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  upon  thesubject  of  impressments,  it 
would  appear  that  no  more  than  sixteen  had  been  impressed  from  t!ti<:  Commonwealth. 
What  must  be  our  conclusion  upon  a  comparison  of  this  report,  with  that  of  Mt  SMS. 
Shortland  and  Magrath  ?  It  is  irresistable,'  either  that, the  former  did  not  report  the  full 
numlxT  of  impressments,  or  that  the  latter  have  aggravated  their  guilt  and  condemna- 
tion, by  swelling  the  number  to  a  degree  beyond  what  the  facts  would  justify,  from  some 
cause,  unknown  to  their  American  advocates,  and  in  favor  of  the  facts  and  priucipl  j, 
for  which  the  American  government  have  uniformly  contended.  A  few  of  those  assum- 
ed as  facts,  by  the  present  dominant  party  in  New-England,  may  aid  us  in  this  enquiry, 
and  perhaps  conduct  us  to  a  correct  conclusion.  They  have  repeatedly  told  us,  that 
New-England,  and  more  particularly  Massachusetts,  has  ever  been  the  nursery  of  our. 
seamen.  That  this  section  had  furnished  more  than  the  whole  remaining  part  of  the 
United  States.  Admitting  the  correctness  of  the  report  of  Shortland  and  Magratb,  we 
are  wholly  unable  to  reconcile  the  report  of  our  Legislature  wit'.i  those  whieh  they  as- 
sume as  facts,  and  upon  which  the  principles  of  their  report  were,  in  part,  predicated. 
It  exhibits  to  our  view  a  disposition  to  fritter  away  the  enormities  of  the  British  C-ioveri> 
ment,  and  a  determination  to  justify  them  in  every  act  of  barbarity,  however  unjustifia- 
ble in  its  circumstances,  or  however  shocking  in  its  operation. 

The  report  of  Messrs.  King  and  Lnrpent  may  here  claim  a  portion  of  our  attention. 
Unpleasant  as  the  task  inay  be,  to  reflect,  even  indirectly  upon  the  conduct  of  one  of 
our  countrymen,  acting  in  the  high  and  solemn  capacity  to  which  Mr.  King  was  called, 
we  cannot,  however,  without  doing  violence  to  our  own  feelings,  and  crimiuiaiiig  nunv- 
bers  of  our  countrymen,  perhaps  equally  entitled  to  credibility  with  Mr.  King  himself, 
afford  our  credence  to  his  singular  report ;  especially  when  we  see  it  contradicted 
Unconditionally,  by  the  unfortunate  witnesses  of  the  unhappy  and  barbarous  transac- 
tion. 

Even  Mr.  K'.ncr  himself,  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Adams,  furnishes  a  tardy  acknowledg- 
ment, that  Ii<-  'i.wl  not  completed  the  duties  to  which  he  had  been  called.  "  Conaderinr 
it  of  Hiii  eh  iinportanee  (he  says)  that  the  report,  whatever  iv  might  lx>,  should  go  forth 
under  our  j<snt  signature--,  I  have  forborne  to  press  some  of  the  points  which  it  involves 
as  far  as  otherwise  I  t::i,:ht  have  done,"  And  why  did  Mr.  King  forbear  to  press  every 
point  involved  in  me  it-port  ?  Was  it  from  a  disposition  to  perform  his  whole  duty  to 
fiis  eouatry  ;  or,  raUier, froai  a  too  coiiunon  admiration  of  British  principles  and  British 
characters. 

The  numeiour  afridruits  accompanying  the  report  made  by  the  committee  of  the  pri- 
son(  rs,  ti  r  to  the  ' .--.'port  of  Messrs.  King  and  Larpint,  afford  tlie 

mi.,}  positive  testimony  ht  eomi-adicti®n  ta  many  of  its  prom  intnt  features.  W<  can 
form  EO  other  opiiv.ia  .-'  -f,«r  j:.g  this  report,  tkian  either  that  Mr.  Kit.;?  was  overreached 
by  his  colleague,  (r  r;  ,'ued  vo  fritt"r  down  the  abuses  which  the 

British  Ciovermne.it  ana  its  agents  iia«t  lavished  upon  thtir  Americssn  prisoners.  Whv 
fitl.v.-r  Mf su-s.  Kr.H!  or  I.a;  '-eru  rhouid  decliiK-!  \he  examination  *»f  ail  ihe  witnesses  of- 
fered by  tho  vr;  -.ity  inexpbcnble,  unless  we  attribute  to  them  a  mutual  and 
fixed  determination  to  jr.:  (ify  ale  conduct  of  Shorthnd  and  his  accomplices,  at  tlu  ex- 
rni',i;.'.^::ii;.  btindr«k!sof  AmericanfjV.Iwwere  irj  >>  ^ <  ntitled  to  credibilitj  than 


pjenseof  criiiMiv..^-!!;;  Lu/idn-i'sof  A-i 

Hereafter  "  lei.  no  such  meu  be  trustt'.i. 
Tbe  frei.niH  . .  to  -r:e  p;  isoners  appears  to  .rave  pr./emled  from  the  same  principles  of 
inhumanity,  \vhlc-h  have  piveii  rise  to  t-ie  Lostiie  operations  of  the- British  Commandew 
upon  our  mari>ui'  and  in!ano  frontiers,  during  t.r  tuniinuuiicv  of  the  late  contest. 
Suchprinci  >g  only  to  Savages  or  tieir  allies.    The  outra^b  at  the  river  Raiiin, 

RtHnptODi  .-ton,anu  those  attempted  at  Kew-Qrleaa»>  it  wa* 

..  .,e  of  Brhhh  barbav.il ies.    Jiut  to  thi;  j)irv;.is<,, 

Dartmoor  was  ironi-AmO  iiies:eT;e  ot"  its  ce'imleuou.    Ai  -  d  indfcfence  yf 

their  wiV,  ihtir  Cor.»t:--;«xio3,R»d  natural  xigfivs,  '*tr€  1w  imvkieiblt  tu  tl*  M  7" 


JOURNAL.  229 

^onquerors  of  the  East.  Prisoners  of  war  in  confinement,  and  without  arms,  were  Se- 
lected as  the  objects  upon  which  they  might  glut  their  malice. 

We  have  heard  much  from  a  certain  class  of  our  politicians  of  the  burning  of  Newark 
and  St.  Darid's  :  but  little  have  they  said  of  the  destruction  of  Buffalo,  of  Washington 
City,  or  the  massacre  of  our  unfortunate  countrymen  at  Dartmoor ;  and  that  little  has 
ln.vh  directed  to  the  justification  of  the  perpetrators.  The  conflagration  of  our  Capitol, 
with  the  appendages'  of  art  and  taste,  and  even  the  slaughter  of  our  countrymen,  could 
not  excite  m  those  minds  one  feeling  of  indignation;  whilst  the  unauthorized  destruc- 
tion .of  a  few  houses,  withiu  the  territorial  limits  of  our  enemy, not  only  excited  their 
warmest  sympathies  for  the  enemy,  but  their  foukst  denunciations  of  our  own  Govern- 
ment. 

We  might  here  attempt  a  comparison  of  the  treatment  of  each  Government  to  their 
prisoners.  Bat  the  contrast  is  so  evident,  that  we  shall  commit  it  to  our  readers  without 
remark. 

Where  is  the  American,  whose  feelings  do  not  become  indignant,  after  a  full  and  dis- 
passionate view'of  all  the  circumstances  connected  with  this  savage  transaction.  Though 
we  may  again  be  told,  that  Great  Britain  is  the '  Bulwark  of  our  Religion  ;'  yet  it  may 
be  hoped,  that  few,  indeed,  will  be  found  to  w-orship  in  a  temple  stained  with  the  blood 
of  their  countrymen,  or  consign  their  consciences  to  the  keeping  of  the  upholders  of  the 
ferapte  of  Juggernaut,  or  the  restorers  of  Papal  power. 

Though  our  policy  as  an  Independent  Republic  is  pacific,  yet  should  our  rights  again 
be  assailed,  and  future  wars  eiisne,  WE  WILL  REMEMBER  DARTMOOR  ! 


We  here  subjoin  a  letter  from  the  Right  Honorable  Lord 
Castlereagh  to  our  Commissioners  at  Ghent,  with  their  an- 
swer, together  with  the  reply  of  our  Secretary  of  State  to  the 
British  charge  ties  affairs  at  Washington : 

Lard  Castlereagh  to  Messrs.  Clay  and  Gallatin. 

Foreign  Office,  May  22,  181.?. 

GEBTLEMEN — I  lost  no  time  in  laying  before  the  Prince  Reg*  nt 
the  report  made  by  Mr.  Larpent  arid  Mr.  King-,  respectfully  appoint- 
ed on  the  part  of  his  majesty's  government,  and  that  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  to  enquire  into  tiie  circumstances  of  the  late  un- 
fortunate occurrence  at  Dartmoor  Prison. 

His  Royal  Highness  has  commanded  me  to  express,  through  you, 
to  the  government  of  America,  how  deeply  he  laments  the  conse- 
quences of  this  unhappy  affair. 

If  any  thing  can  tend  to  relieve  the  distress  which  his  Royal  High- 
ness feels  on  this  occasion,  it  is  the  consideration,  that  the  conduct  of 
the  soldiers  was  not  actuated  from  any  spirit  of  animosity  towards  the 
prisoners,  and  that  the  inactivity  of  the  officers  may  be  attributed  ra- 
ther to  the  inexperience  of  militia  forces,  than  to  any  want  of  zeal  or 
inclination  to  afford  that  liberal  protection  which  is  ever  due  to  pri- 
soners of  war. 

But  as  his  Royal  Highness  has  observed,  at  the  same  time,  with 
sincere  regret,  that  although  the  firing  of  the  troops  upon  the  prison- 
ers may  have  been  justified  at  its  commencement,  by  the  turbulent 
conduct  of  the  latter,  yet  that  the  extent  of  the  calamity  must  be  as- 
cribed  to  a  want  of  steadiness  in  the  troops,  and  of  exertion  in  the 
cre,  culling  for  the  most  severe  animadversion.  His  Royal  High- 
hug  ','<?«!  pleased  to  direct  the  command.^  in  chief  tp  Address  to 


»0  JOURNAL* 

(he  commanding  officer  of  the  Somerset  militia,  his  disapprobation  of 
the^conduct  of  Die  troop?,  which  it  is  trusted  will  make  a  due  im- 
pression on  the  minds  of  the  officers  and  men  who  were  engaged  in 
this  unfortunate  transaction. 

As  an  additional  proof  of  the  sentiments  which  animate  the  Prince 
Recent  on  this  occasion,  I  am  further  commanded  to  express  his  Roy- 
al Highness1  desire  to  make  a  compensation  to  the  widows  and  fami- 
lies of  the  sufferers ;  and  I  have  to  request  that  you,  gentlemen,  ^would 
make  this  known  to  your  government,  inviting  them,  at  the  same 
time,  to  co-operate  with  his  majesty's  charge  d'affairs  in  the  United 
States,  in  investigating  the  respective  claims,  for  the  purpose  of  fulfil- 
ling his  Royal  Highness'  benevolent  intentions  upon  this  painful  oc- 
casion. 

I  request  that  you  will  accept  the  assurance  of  the  distinguished 
Consideration  with  which  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c. 

(Signed)  CASTLEREAGH. 

To  Henry  Clay,  Esq.  and  Albert  Gallatin,  Esq. 

Copy  of  a  letter  from  Messrs.  Clay  and  Gallatin,  to  Lord  Ca-stlertagh. 
Hanoyer  Street,  Hanover  Square*  March  24, 18 15. 

MY  LoTtD — We  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
lordship's  official  note  of  the  22d  inst. 

Having,  as  we  have  already  informed  your  lordship,  no  powers  on 
(he  subject  to  which  it  refer?,  we  will  lose  no  time  iw  transmitting  it 
to  our  government. — We  will  also  place  in  the  possession  of  the 
American  minister,  Bear  his  Britannic  majesty's  government,  whose 
arrival  here  we  daily  expect,  a  copy  of  your  lordship's  note,  together 
with  a  statement  of  what  had  previously  passed  respecting  the  unfor- 
tunate event  at  Dartmoor. 

We  embrace  the  opportunity  of  tendering,  &c. 

(Signed)  H.  CLAY, 

ALBERT  GALLATIN. 

The  Right  Honorable  Viscount  Castlereagh,  Secretary  of  State  for 
the  Foreign  Department,  &c.  &c. 

The  Secretary  of  Slate  to  Anthony  St.  John  Baker,  E$q>  his  Britannic, 
tnajtsty's  charge  &  affairs. 

Washington,  Department  of  State,  December  11,  1815. 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  receive  your  letter  of  the  3d  of  August, 
communicating  a  proposition  of  your  government  to  make  provision 
for  the  widows  and  families  of  the  sufferers  in  the  much  to  be  lamented 
occurence  at  Dartmoor. 

It  is  painful  to  touch  on  this  unfortunate  event,  from  the  deep  dis- 
tiess  it  has  caused  to  the  whole  American  people.  This  repugnance  is 
increased  by  the  consideration  that  our  governments,  though  penetrat- 
ed with  regret,  do  not  agree  in  sentiment,  respecting  the  conduct  of 
the  parties  engaged  in  it. 

Whilst  the  President  declines  accepting  the  provision  contemplated 
by  his  royal  highness,  the  Prince  Regent,  he  nevertheless  does  lull  jus- 
tice to  the  motives  which  dictated  it,     I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc. 
(Signed)    '  JAMES  MONROE. 

Anthony  St.  Jolui  Bakcr,E*q.«  hi?  Britannic  majesty's  charge  d'a/Faire*. 


JOURNAL.  *i3l 

all  which  it  appears  that  nothing  further  can  now 
be  done  relative  to  this  shocking  transaction.  The  govern- 
ment and  the  people  of  America  have  similar  feelings.  Hte 
Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Regent  of  England  offers  to  give 
money  by  \vay  of  compensating  the  widows  and  families  of 
the  slain,  as  was  offered  in  the  affair  of  the  Chesapeake ;  but 
the  PRESIDENT  very  properly  refused  the  price  of  blood. 
There  is  now  no  constituted  earthly  tribunal  before  which 
this  deed  can  be  trie^  and  punished,  it  is  therefore  left,  like 
some  other  atrocities  from  the  same  quarter,  with  the  feel- 
ings of  Christian  people.  They  have  already  tried  it,  and 
brought  in  their  verdict — But,  "vengeance  is  mine,  and  I 
nill  repay  saith  the  Lord;" — and  to  HIM  we  leave  it. 

The  night  following  the  shocking  massacre  was  spent 
in  deep  disquietude.  As  we  knew  not  what  had  actually 
occasioned  this,  in  some  degree,  deliberate  slaughter,  so 
we  were  filled  with  anxiety  as  to  its  final  termination. — 
The  horrors  of  Paris,  under  Robespiere,  rose  to  view,  and 
deprived  us  of  sleep ;  or  if  wearied  nature  got  a  moment's  re- 
lief, many  waked  up  screaming  with  the  impression,  that 
they  were  under  the  hands  of  a  murderer  dressed  in  red. 

The  gates  of  our  prison  were  closed  up  in  the  morning, 
and  each  one  seemed  describing  to  his  neighbor  what  he  had 
seen  and  heard ;  and  every  one  execrating  the  villain  who 
had  occasioned  the  massacre.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  a 
British  colonel,  whom  we  had  never  before  seen,  appeared 
at  the  inner  gate,  attended  by  the  detestable  Shortland,  who 
was  pale  and  haggard  like  ordinary  murderers.  The  col- 
onel asked  us,  generally,  What  was  the  cause  of  this  unhappy 
state  of  things?  We  related  some  particulars  as  well  as  we 
could;  but  all  united  in  accusing  captain  Thomas  Shortland 
of  deliberate  murder.  On  Shorthand's  denying  some  of  the 
accusations,  the  colonel  turned  round  to  him,  and  said,  in  a 
very  serious  tone,  "  Sir,  you  have  no  right  to  speak  at  this 
time"  Upon  which  I  thought  the  valiant  captain  would 
have  fainted.  He,  doubtless,  thought  of  a  halter.  The 
colonel  went  to  the  other  yards,  and  received,  as  we  were 
informed,  statements  not  materially  differing  from  what  he 
first  heard.  The  colonel's  manner  left  an  agreeable  impres- 
sion on  our  minds.  He  appeared  to  be  seriously  grieved, 
and  desirous  to  find  out  the  truth. 

The  next  day  major  general  Brown  came  up  from  Ply- 
mouth in  the  forenoon,  and  made  some  tnfliflg  enquiries  in. 


JOURNAL. 


the  afternoon.  Soon  after  came  admiral  Rowley,  and  a. 
captain  in  the  navy,  whose  name  I  do  not  remember.  They 
went  into  the  military  walk  over  the  gates,  when  the  space 
below  was  soon  filled  with  prisoners.  The  admiral  did  not 
impress  us  quite  so  agreeably  as  the  colonel,  who  seemed  to 
speak  and  look  his  own  good  feelings ;  while  the  former  ap- 
peared to  have  got  his  lesson,  and  have  come  prepared  to 
question  us  like  an  attorney,  rather  than  like  a  frank  and 
open  seaman.  The  admiral  informed  the  prisoners  that  he 
was  appointed  by  the  commander  in  chief  at  Plymouth,  to 
inquire,  whether  the  prisoners  had  any  cause  for  complaint 
against  the  Brilish  government,  as  to  their  PROVISIONS  ? — 
There  ensued  a  short  silence,  until  our  countryman,  Mr. 
Cotton,  a  man  who  was  neither  intimidated  by  rank,  nor  dis- 
concerted by  parade,  answered  him  and  said,  that  "  the  af- 
"  fair  of  provisions  wasnotthe  occasion  of  their  preseutdistress 
c;  and  anxiety,  but  that  it  was  the  horrid  massacre  of  their 
'•  unoffending  and  unresisting  countrymen,  whose  blood  cried 
"  from  the  ground,  like  the  blood  of  Abel,  for  justice.  We 
cc  have  nothing  now  to  say  about  our  provisions ;  that  is  but 
c;  a  secondary  concern.  Our  cry  is  for  due  vengeance  on  the 
"  murderer,  Shortland,  to  expiate  the  horrors  of  the  (Hh  of 
"  April.  We  all  complain  of  his  haughty,  unfeeling  and 
"  tyrannical  conduct,  at  all  times,  and  on  all  occasions."—- 
"  THAT  WE  HAVE  NOTHING  TO  DO  WITH,"  said  the  admiral, 
and  then  repeated  the  former  question,  relative  to  the  British 
government  and  the  provisions ;  to  which  Mr.  Colton  re- 
plied in  a  still  more  exasperated  tone  of  accusation  against 
the  murderer  and  the  murder.  "  Then  you  do  not?  said  the 
admiral,  "complain  cf  the  British  government  for  detaining 
you  here  ?'  "  By  no  means,"  said  our  spokesman,  "  the  pri- 
soners, one  and  all,  ascribe  our  undue  attention  here,  to  a 
jsieglect  of  duty  in  our  own  agent,  Mr.  Beasly."  "  Then 
I  hope"  said  the  admiral,  "  that  you  will  all  remain  tranquil. 
I  lament  AS  MUCH  AS  YOU,  the  uiifortunaic  occurrence  that  l>as 
taken  place?  Upon  this  Mr.  Colton  mentioned  particularly 
the  murder  of  the  boy  who  was  shut  up  in  No.  4,  after  the 
prisoners  were  all  driven  in  through  the  doors,  and  averr<-d 
that  he  was  killed  by  the  direct  order  of  a  British  'officer, 
who  came  to  the  door  with  some  of  the  guard.  "  That  is 
"  the  lobster-backed  villain"  exclaimed  a  young  man,  " thai 
"  stands  behind  you,  sir!  w/io,  I  heard  deliberately  order  Ms 
a  m&*  to  fare  on  ihe  prisoners,  after  they  had  all  got  into  ihf 


JOURNAL. 

*4  building,  T  saw  him,  and  heard  him  give  llic  orders,  and 
*•  had  like  to  have  been  bayoneted  myself  by  his  soldier  s"-*- 
The  admiral  looked  round  on  the  officer,  who  reddened  al- 
most to  a  purple,  and  sneaked  away,  and  was  seen  no  more ; 
and  thus  was  ended  what  was  probably  called  Admiral  R's 
examination  into  the  causes  of  the  massacre! 

I  know  of  no  examination  after  this,  if  such  an  interview- 
may  be  called  an  examination  ;  for,  on  the  —  of  April,  my- 
self and  a  few  others  were  set  at  liberty.  We  had  made 
application  the  night  before,  and  passed  the  night  in  sleep- 
Jess  anxiety.  At  10  o'clock  orders  were  sent  down  to  col- 
lect our  things.  We  dare  not  call  our  wretched  baggage, 
by  any  other  than  the  beggarly  name  of  "duds."  In  con- 
sequence of  this  order,  the  turnkey  conveyed  us  to  the  upper 
gate,  where  we  remained  a  while  fluttering  between  feai 
and  hope.  At  length  the  sergeant  of  the  guard  came,  and 
opened  the  gate,  and  conducted  us  to  the  guard  room,  where 
our  fears  began  to  dissipate  and  our  hopes  to  brighten. — - 
When  the  clerk  entered,  he  must  have  seen  anxiety  in  our 
countenances,  and  was  disposed  to  sport  with  our  feelings. 
He  put  on  a  grave  and  solemn  phiz,  mixed  with  a  portion 
of  the  insolence  of  office,  as  if  he  were  about  to  read  our 
death-warrants,  while  we  cast  a  look  of  misery  at  each  other. 
At  length,  with  apparent  reluctance,  he  vouchafed  to  hand  to 
ea.ch  of  us,  like  a  miser  paying  a  debt,  the  dear  delicious 
paper,  the  evidence  of  our  liberty  !  on  which  was  written, 
"•  by  order  of  the  transport  board/'  This  was  enough,  we 
devoured  it  with  our  eyes,  clinched  it  fast  in  our  fists, 
laughed,  capered,  jumped,  screamed,  and  kicked  up  the  dirt 
like  so  many  mad  men ;  and  away  we  started  for  Prince- 
town,  looking  back  as  we  ran,  every  minute,  to  see  if  our 
cerebrus,  with  his  bloody  jaws,  was  not  at  our  heels.  At 
every  step  we  took  from  the  hateful  prison,  our  enlarged 
souls  expanded  our  lately  cramped  bodies.  At  length  we 
attained  a  rising  ground ;  and  O,  how  our  hearts  did  swell 
within  us  at  the  sight  of  the  OCEAN  !  that  ocean  that  washed 
the  shores  of  our  dear  America,  as  well  as  those  of  England  ! 
After  taking  breath,  we  talked  in  strains  of  rapture  to  each 
other.  "  This  ground,  said  I,  belongs  to  the  British ;  but 
that  ocean,  and  this  air,  and  that  sun,  are  as  much  ours  as 
theirs;  or  as  any  other  nations.  They  are  blessings  to 
that  nation  which  knows  best  how  to  deserve  and  enjoy 
them,  May  the  arm  of  bravery  secure  them  all  to  us,  and 
20 


JOURNAL. 


to  our  children  forever !"  Long  and  dismal  as  our  captivity 
lias  been,  we  declared,  with  one  voice,  that  should  our  gov- 
ernment again  arm  and  declare  war,  tor  "free  trade  and  sail- 
ors' rights"  we  would,  in  a  moment,  try  again  the  tug  of 
war,  with  the  hard  hearted-Britons ;  but  with  the  fixed  reso- 
lution of  never  being  taken  by  them  alive;  or,  at  least,  un- 
wounded,  or  unmutilated.  I  see,  I  feel  that  (he  love  of  coun- 
try is  our  "  ruling  passion  ;"  and  it  is  this  that  has  and  will 
give  us  the  superiority  in  battle,  by  land  and  by  sea,  while 
the  want  of  it  will  cause  some  folks  to  recoil  before  the 
American  bayonet  and  bullets,  as  the  British  did  at  Chip- 
pewa,  Erie,  Plattsburg  and  New  Orleans. 

While  the  British  prisoner  retires  from  our  places  of  con- 
finement in  good  health,  and  with  unwilling  and  reluctant 
step,  we,  half  famished  Americans,  fly  from  theirs  as  from 
a  pestilence,  or  a  mine  just  ready  to  explode.  If  the  Brit- 
ish cannot  alter  these  feelings  in  the  two  nations,  her  power 
will  desert  her,  while  that  of  America  will  increase. 

After  treading  the  air,  instead  of  touching  the  ground,  we 
found  ourselves  at  the  Devonshire  arms,  in  Princetown, 
where  the  comely  bar-maid  appeared  more  than  mortal. 
The  sight  of  her  rosy  cheeks.,  shining  hair,  bright  eyes,  and 
pouting  iips  wafted  our  imaginations,,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  across  the  atlantic  to  our  own  dear  country  of  pretty 
girls.  1  struck  the  fist  of  my  right  hand  Into  the  palm  of 
iny  left,  and  cried  out — "  O,for  an  horse  with  ivingsJ"  The 
girl  stared  with  amazement,  and  concluded,  I  guess,  that.  I 
was  mad  ;  for  she  looked  as  if  she  said  to  herself — "  poor 
crazy  lad  !  who  ever  saw  a  horse  with  wings  :" 

We  called  for  some  wine,  and  filling  our  gb.sse-s,  drank  to 
the  power,  glory,  and  honor,  and  everlasting  fyqtpiness  of  mr 
beloved  country;  and  after  that  to  all  the  pretty  girls  in 
America.  During  this,  we  now  and  then  looked  around  us, 
to  be  certain  all  this  was  not  a  dream,  and  risked  each  other 
if  they  were  sure  there  was  no  red  coat  watching  our  move- 
ments, or  surly  turnkey  listening  to  our  conversation  ?  and 
whether  what  we  saw  were  really  the  wails  of  an  house, 
where  ingress  and  egress  were  equally  free  ?  It  is  incon- 
ceivable how  we  are  changed  by  habit.  Situations  and 
circumstances  ennoble  the  mind,  or  debase  it. 

From  what  I  myself  experienced,  and  saw  in  others,  on 
the  day  \ve  left  our  hateful  prison,  I  do  not  wonder  that  sud- 
dcii  transitions  from  the  depressing  effects  of  imprisonment, 


JOURNAL.  235 

sorrow,  chagrin,  impatience,  or  feelings  bordering  on  de- 
spair, to  that  of  liberty  and  joy,  should  so  affect  the  vital 
organs,  as  to  bring  on  a  fatal  spasm;  or  that  the  sudden  ex- 
hiierations  of  the  animal  spirits,  might  produce  phrenzy. 
We  were  animated  anew  with  a  .moderate  portion  of  gener- 
ous liquor;  but  absolutely  intoxicated  with  joy.  We  asked 
a  thousand  questions  without  waiting  for  an  answer.  In  the 
midst,  of  our  rapture  we  had  a  message  from  Shortland,  who 
seemed  to  be  afraid  that  we  should  be  so  near  him,  and  yet 
out  of  his  power,  that  if  we  did  not  hasten  our  mirch  on  te 
Plymouth,  he  would  have  us  brought  back  to  prison.  At 
the  sound  of  his  hateful  name,  and  the  idea  of  his  person, 
we  started  off  like  so  m;my  wild  Zebras.  We,  however, 
stepped'a  little  out  of  the  road  to  an  eminence,  to  take  an- 
other, and  a  last  look  of  the  Dartmoor  depot  of  misery,  when 
we  saw  waving  over  it,  the  American  flag,  like  the  colors 
sans  tache,  waving  over  the  walls  of  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rba.  We  gave  three  cheers,  and  then  resumed  our  road  to 
Plymouth,  where  we  soon  after  arrived. 

While  dining  at  the  inn,  an  old  man,  in  the  next  room, 
hearing  we  were  Americans,  came  in  and  asked  us  if  we* 
knew  his  son  who  lived  in  America,  and  mentioned  his 
name.  "  Yes,"  said  one  of  my  companions ;  "  he  is  a  me- 
chanic ;  I  think  a  carpenter — I  know  him  very  well,  and  he 
is  a  very  clever  fellow."  The  old  man  caught  hold  of  him, 
and  shook  him  by  the  hand  as  if  he  would  shake  his  arm 
olF.  "  Yes,  yes.  you  are  right,  my  son  is  a  ship  carpenter, 
and  it  almost  broke  my  heart  when  he  \vr-rit  off  to  seek  his 
fortune  in  a  far  country."  In  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  the 
poor  old  man  offered  to  treat  us  with  the  best  liquor  the  hous& 
afforded  ;  but  we  all  excused  ourselves  and  declined  his 
generosity.  This  would  have  been  carrying  the  joke  too 
far,  for  neither  of  us  ever  had  any  knowledge  of  his  son. 
We  felt  happy;  and  we  thought,  if  we  thought  at  all,  that 
we  would  make  the  old  man  happy  also.  The  English  arid 
Americans  are  equally  addicted  to  bantering,  hoaxing,  quiz- 
sing,  humming,  or  by  whatever  ridiculous  name  we  may  de- 
note this  more  than  ridiculous  folly.  I  never  heard  that  the 
French,  Germans,  Spaniards,  or  Italians,  were  addicted  to 
this  unbetievolent  wit,  if  cowardly  imposition  can  merit  that 
name. 

As  we  strolled  through  Plymouth,  we  gazed  at  every 
thing  \ve  saw,  as  if  we  had  just  fallen  into  it  from  the*  inoon. 


236  *0¥RNAL. 

In  staring  about  we  lost  our  way,  and  accosted  a  grave 
loojking,  elderly  man,  who  directed  us.  As  we  asked  him 
several  questions,  he  thought  he  had  a  right  to  ask  one  of 
us ;  when,  to  our  surprise,  he  asked  us  if  we  had  any  geld  to 
sell?  We  now  perceived  that  we  had  taken  for  our  director 
one  of  the  sons  of  Abraham,  whose  home  is  no  where  ;  and 
that  he  took  us  to  be  either  privateersmen  or  pick-pockets. 
Piqued  at  this,  we  thought  we  would  be  even  with  him,  and 
we  asked  him  if  his  name  was  not  Shortlandl  He  said  no. 
We  asked  him  if  he  had  no  relations  of  that  name.  He  en- 
quired if"  <lit  Shortland  vas  Jew  or  Christian  ?"  We  told 
him  he  was  neither  one  nor  the  other.  "  Pen,"  said  Moses, 
"  he  must  be  Turk ;  for  dere  be  hut  three  sort  of  peoples  in 
"  the  world  ;"  and  this  set  us  a  laughing  at  the  expense  of 
the  despised  Israelite,  until  we  lost  him  in  some  of  the  dirty 
alleys  of  this  noisy  seaport. 

I  slept  that  night  at  the  Exchange  Coffee  House.  It  was 
ionff  since  I  had  been  cut  off  from  the  decencies  of  life, 
.*.  I  could  hardly  be  said  to  enjoy  them.  I  could  not,  at 
first,  reconcile  myself  to 'the  civil  attention  of  servants  and 
waiters.  At  the  hour  of  sleep,  I  was  shown, to  such  a  bed 
a«  I  used  to  sleep  on  in  my  father's  house.  But  who  would 
believe  it,  that  my.  predominant  misery  during  this  night, 
was  z  feather 'bett  and  a  pillow,  rendered  uneasy  because  it 
was  soft  as  down  !  Yes,  astonished  reader  !  1  felt  about  as 
uneasy  in  a  feather  bed,  as  Mr.  Beasly,  or  any  other  fine 
London  gentleman  would,  at  laying  on  a  plank,  or  the  bal- 
last of  a  transport.  Such  is  the  power  of  habit,  and  such  the 
effect  of  custom. 

The  next  morning  before  I  left  my  bed,  I  pondered  over 
the  events  and  conduct  of  the  preceding  day,  but  not  with 
satisfaction,  or  self  approbation.  The  seventh  chapter  of 
"Ecelesiastes  came  fresh  to  my  mind.  I  said  to  myself,  ad- 
versity and  constraint  are  more  favorable  to  wisdom,  than 
liberty  and  prosperity ;  or  to  express  it  in  better  words— 
"  sorrow  is  better  than  laughter,  for  by  the  sadness  of  the 
countenance  the  heart  is  made  better  ;  and  for  this  maxim  of 
wisdom  we  are  indebted  to  a  Jew. 

We  remained  a  fortnight  longer*  in  Plymouth,  and  learnt 
by  degrees  to  relish  civility.  We  were  kindly  noticed  by 
several  good  people  who  seemed  to  be  rather  partial  to  '.>, 
Amrrlc'-ns,  than  otherwise,  While  there,  I  heard  but  very 
little  uttered  against  America,,  ojr  Americans*.  We  were 


JOURNAL,* 

spoken  to,  and  treated  infinitely  better  than  at  Halifax.  By 
the  time  of  our  embarkation,  which  was  the  23d  of  April, 
1815,  we  felt  considerable  attachment  to  the  people  about 
us.  We  arrived  at  New-York  the  7th  of  June  following, 
without  any  thing  occurring  in  the  passage  worth  commit- 
ting to  paper,  unless  it  be  to  record  the  striking  contrast  in 
our  feelings  in  our  passaged  and  FROM  England. 

My  sensations  on  first  setting  my  foot  once  .more  on  my 
native  soil,  were  such  as  I  have  not  power  to  describe. 
Tears  gushed  from  my  eyes,  and  had  1  not  been  ashamed,  I 
should  have  kneeled  down  and  kissed  the  earth  of  the  UNI- 
TED STATES.  I  believe  similar  sensations,  more  or  less  fer- 
vent, fill  the  bosom  of  every  American,  on  returning  to  his 
own  country  from  British  captivity.  It  is  hardly  possible 
that  I  shall,  so  long  as  my  faculties  remain  entire,  forget  the 
horrors  of  the  British  transports,  and  several  scenes  and 
sufferings  at  Dartmoor  Prison :  yet  I  hope  to  be  able,  before 
I  quit  this  world  of  contention,  to  forgive  the  contempts,  the 
contumely,  the  starvations  and  fiithiness  inflicted  on  me,  and 
on  my  countrymen,  by  an  unfeeling  enemy,  while  we  re-  - 
mained  in  his  power  as  prisoners  of  war. 

"  RETURN  we,  from  this  gloomy  view, 
To  native  scenes  of  fairer  hue. 
•Land  of  our  sires !  the  Hero's  home  ! 
Weary  and  sick,  to  thee  we  come  ; 
The  heart  fatigued  with  foreign  woe?^ 
On  thy  fair  bosom  seeks  repose. 
COLUMBIA  !  hope  of  future  times ! 
Thou  wonder  of  surrounding  climes  ! 
Thou  last  and  only  resting  place 
Of  Freedom's  persecuted  race  ! 
jlail  to  thy  consecrated  domes  ! 
Thy  fruitful  fields  and  peaceful  homes. 
The  hunter,  thus,  who  long  has  toil'd 
O'er  mountain  rude,  and  forest  wild, 
Turns  from  the  dark  and  cheerless  way, 
Where  howls  the  savage  beast  of  prey, 
To  where  yon  curls  of  smoke  aspire, 
Where  briskly  burns  his  crackling  fire  ; 
Towards  his  cot  delighted  moves, 
Cheer'd  by  the  voice  of  those  he  loves, 
And  welcom'd  by  domestic  smiles, 
Sings  checrly,  and  forgets  his  toLk.'1 


POSTSCRIPT. 


SOME,  to  whom  I  had  shown  my  Journal  in  manuscript,  have 
thought  that  I  had,  now  and  then,  expressed  my  feelings  too  unguard- 
edly against  some  of  the  subjects  of  Great  Britain,  and  some  of  iay 
own  countrymen.  In  consequence  of  this  friendly  remark,  1  have 
struck  out  a  few  passages,  but  have  not  been  able  to  comply  with  all 
the  wishes  of  rny  connexions.  But,  after  all,  had  a  political  cant 
phrase  or  two  been  omitted,  some  good  people  would  have  been  grati- 
fied, and  the  publication  not  the  worse  for  it.  I  have  severely  suf- 
fered, felt  keenly,  and  expressed  myself  honestly,  and  without  mal- 
ice. I  may  not  have  made  due  allowance  for  the  conduct  of  certain 
officers  and  agents.  I  maj-  not  have  entered,  as  far  as  I  ought,  into 
their  situations  ;  and  there  might  have  been  reasons  and  excuses,  that 
my  chafed  feelings  prevented  me  from  attending  to.  If  so,  the  cool 
and  candid  reader,  both  here,  and  on  the  other  side  the  Atlantic,  will 
make  that  allowance  which  I  could  hardly  make  myself.  I  must, 
nevertheless,  maintain,  that  I  have  expressed  the  feelings  of  the  mo- 
ment, and  cannot  now  honestly  alter  my  language  ;  for  whenever  my 
soul  calls  up  many  occurrences  in  my  captivity,  my  tongue  and  my 
pen  will  be  found  the  faithful  organs  of  my  feelings. 

I  have  endeaArored  to  give  due  credit  to  the  humane  conduct  of 
several  sailors,  soldiers,  and  private  subjects  of  the  enemy.  But,  if, 
at  this  period  of  peace,  when  it  may  be  supposed  that  resentment  was 
cooled  down,  I  try  to  obliterate  the  impressions  made  by  cruelty  and 
by  contempt,  and  find  I  cannot,  then  must  the  reader  take,  it  as  a  trait 
of  the  imperfect  character  of  a  young  man,  on  whose  mind  adversity 
has  not  had  its  best  effect. 

If  an  animosity  actually  exists  between  the  English  and  Americans, 
do  you  mend  the  matter  by  denying  the  fact  ?  This  animosity  has 
been  avowed  to  exist,  within  a  few  months  past,  in  the  parliament  of 
England.  The  following  article  is  extracted  from  a  London  paper. — 
In  a  debate,  (Feb.  14th,  1816)  a  member  said,  u  the  spirit  of  animos- 
ity in  America,  would  justify  an  increase  of  the  naval  force  in  the 
West  Indies."  This  called  up  Lord  Castlereagh,  who  said — "  As  to 
America,  if  it  is  said  great  prejudices  exist  there  against  us,  it  must  be 
recollected  that  great  prejudices  exist  here  against  her.  It  was,"  he 
said,  u  his  most  ardent  wish  to  discountenance  this  feeling  on  both 
sides,  and  to  promote  between  the  two  nations  feejing  of  reciprocal 
amity  and  regard." 

"What  has  occasioned  this  avowed  animosity  in  us  towards  the  Brit- 
ish ?  Our  merchants,  generally,  feel  not  this  animosity  ;  neither  is  it 
to  be  found,  in  a  great  degree,  amongst  our  legislators.  How  came  v;s, 
'•y  ?V  .'  Oer  sailors  and  our  soldiers,  who  have  beeji  in  British  prisons, 


JOURNAL. 

and  on  board  British  men  of  war,  and  transports,  have  brought  with 
them  this  animosity  home  to  Iheir  families  and  their  friends,  They 
tell  them  their  own  stories,  in  their  own  artless,  and  sometimes  exag- 
gerated way  ;  and  these  are  reported  with,  probably,  high  coloring  ; 
whereas,  I  have  made  it  a  point  of  honor,  a  matter  of  conscience,  and 
a  rule  of  justice,  to  adhere  to  truth  ;  and  am  contented  that  the  Brit- 
ish reader  should  say  all  that  fairness  admits,  to  soften  down  the  col- 
oring of  some  of  the  pictures  of  British  barbarity,  provided  he  does  not 
attempt  to  impeach  my  veracity. 

Beside  individual  animosity,  there  may  possibly  be  a  lurking  nation- 
al one,  thinly  covered  over  with  the  fashionable  mantle  of  courtesy. 
The  conflicting  interests  of  the  two  nations  may  endanger  peace. — 
The  source  of  national  aggrandizement  in  both  nations,  is  commerce  ; 
and  the  high  road  to  them  the  ocean.  We  and  the  British  are  travel- 
ling the  same  way,  in  keen  pursuit  of  the  same  object  ;  and  it  is 
scarcely  probable,  that  we  shall  be  preserved  in  a  state  of  peace,  by 
abstract  love  of  justice. 

I  have  been  disposed  to  allow  that  the  conduct  of  our  countrymen, 
while  on  board  the  pri.-o'i  ships,  and  at  Dartmoor,  was,  at  times,  pro- 
voking to  the  British  officers  set  over  them  ;  but  never  malignant, 
much  less,  bloody.  It  could  be  always  traced  to  a  spirit  oi'fitn  and  frolic, 
which  our  people  indulge  in  beyond  all  others  in  the  world  ;  and  this 
ought  to  be  considered  as  one  of  the  luxuriant  shoots  of  our  tree  of 
liberty  ;  for  it  is  too  harsh  to  call  it  an  excrescence.  It  shows  the 
•strength,  depth  and  extent  of  its  roots,  and  the  richness  of  the  soil. 

This  Journal  has  not  been  published  to  increase  the  animosity  now 
subsisting  between  the  American  and  British  people.  So  far  from  it, 
the  writer  pleases  himself  with  the  idea  that  this  publication  may  rem- 
edy the  evils  complained  of,  or  mitigate  them  ;  and  cut  off  the  source 
of  deep  complaint  against  the  English,  for  their  treatment  of  prisoners, 
should  war  rage  again  between  Ihe  two  nations.  If  the  present,  race 
of  Britons  have  not  become  indifferent  to  a  sense  of  national  charac- 
ter, their  government  will  take  measures  to  wipe  off  this  stain  from 
her  garments.  Let  the  nations  of  Europe  inquire  how  the  Americans 
iri.Mt.  Ilieir  prisoners  of  war.  If  we  treat  them  with  barbarity,  publish 
our  disgrace  to  the  wide  world,  and  speak  of  us  accordingly.  But 
•tat  thfin,  at  the  same  time,  inquire  how  the  English  treated  those  of 
us  who  have  had  the  great  misfortune  of  falling  into  their  hands  ;  and 
let  them  be  spoken  of  accordingly.  My  serious  opinion  is,  that  this 
little  book  will  aid  the  great  cause  of  humanity. 

Although  I,  with  some  thousands  of  my  countrymen,  were  inclosed 
in  a  large  prison  during  the  greater  part  of  the  war,  it  fared  with  us  as 
with  those  people  who  seldom  go  out  of  their  houses,  who  hear  more 
news  than  those  who  are  abroad  in  the  world.  It  was,  however,  pret- 
ty much  all  of  one  sort ;  for  we  seldom  saw  any  other  American  news- 
papers, than  those  of  the  fault  finding,  or  opposition  party.  These 
were  generally  filled  with  abuse  of  the  PRESIDENT,  and  of  the  gov- 
ernment generally,  and  with  praises  of  the  English,  which,  in  our  sit- 
uation, produced  a  strong  sensation ;  as  our  support,  our  protection, 
our  pride,  our  honor,  were  identified  in  the  person  of  the  President, 
and  his  administration.  The  efforts  of  the  ftderal  party  in  Mussachu- 


2 --SO  JOURNAL. 

setts  to  embarrass  and  tie  the  hands  of  our  government,  and  disgrart 
its  brave  officers,  created  in  us  all,  a  hatred  of  the  very  name  ot'ftd- 
erc.U.sin.  I  record  the  Jctct,  and  appeal  to  all  the  prisoners  icho  har* 
now  returned  home,  to  confirm  my  assertion  ;  and  I  declare  I  IUIAC 
erased  not  a  little  on  this  head,  out  of  courtesy  to  a  large  and  san- 
guine party  ;  Avho  have  erred,  and  strayed  from  the  right  way,  by  not 
knoAving  the  true  character  of  the  English. 

I  fvel  no  animosity,  or  disrespect  to  any  gentleman  of  the  federal, 
or  fault  finding  party  ;  but  they  must  excuse  me  for  remarking,  ihat 
their  conduct,  and  their  sentiments,  as  they  appeared  in  messages, 
proclamations,  speeches,  and  resolves  ;  and  their  combinations  for 
withholding  loans  of  money  front,  govetnment,  with  their  denunciations 
of  a  war,  Avaaed  professedly,- and  as  we  knew,  really,  fos  "Sailors'1 
Rights,"  made  an  impression  on  our  minds  so  decidedly  against  the 
federalists,  that  the  very  term  federalism,  Avas  with  us  all,  without  one 
single  exception,  a  term  of  deep  reproach.  Let  him  who  doubts  it, 
ask  any  prisoner  who  made  a  part  of  the  six  thousv.ml  confined  in 
England  during  the  two  years  of  our  late  bitter  war  Aviih  the  English, 
andf  he  will  be  satisfied  that  I  have  u  nothing  exleniMJtd,  or  stt  doutt 
•!-:"Jil  in  malice." 

I  hope  and  pray  for  rMosr  among  ourselves ;  and  that  all  party 
names  and  distinctions  may  be  lost  in  that  of  AMERICANS. 

u  Henceforth,  let  Whig  and  Tory  cease, 
u  An'd  turn  all  party  rage  to  peace  ; 
41  Rouse,  and  revive  your  ancient  glory, 
"  UNITE,  and  drive,  the,  world  before  you  ,'" 


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